CAG AUDIT OF JAL JEEVAN MISSION from Vajirao & Reddy Institute

CAG AUDIT OF JAL JEEVAN MISSION

Context:

• The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) is currently carrying out a detailed performance audit of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), the government's program to provide tap water to all rural homes. Reports from this audit are expected soon.

ABOUT THE AUDIT

• What is it? An extensive performance audit of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
• When did it start? The process began approximately one and a half years ago, after the CAG included it in its audit plan.
• Period Covered: The audit examines JJM implementation in states from the financial year 2019-20 to 2023-24.
• Scope: It is a "horizontal audit," meaning it is being conducted across all states by CAG's local offices (Principal Accountant Generals/Accountants General).
• Status: Fieldwork is mostly complete, and in some states, reports are being drafted. Reports from two states have already reached the CAG headquarters.
• Next Step: Once finalized, the reports will be presented in the Legislative Assembly of the respective states.
• Focus: The audit is at the state level (not national) because states primarily lead the JJM's implementation. It covers all aspects of JJM, including planning, expenditure, and reasons for cost increases.

WHY AUDIT AFTER 5 YEARS?

• Expenditure Level: The CAG typically selects a scheme for audit after 70-80% of its budget has been spent.
• JJM's Growth: JJM started in 2019-20 with lower initial spending. The audit began after its first phase concluded in 2023-24, when spending had significantly increased.
• First Major Audit: This marks the 1st comprehensive audit of JJM since its inception in 2019.
• The last similar audit was for its predecessor, the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), in 2018.

RELATED CONCERNS

• JJM's Estimated Cost Increase: The estimated cost of the Jal Jeevan Mission has more than doubled from its original plan of Rs 3.6 lakh crore to about Rs 8.29 lakh crore.
• Funding Approval Issues: The Jal Shakti Ministry requested Rs 2.79 lakh crore in extra central funds, but only Rs 1.51 lakh crore (46% less than requested) was approved by the Expenditure Finance Committee.
• Tender Rule Changes: A report by The Indian Express (May 21) indicated that a change in tender rules three years ago removed expenditure checks, leading to cost increases of Rs 16,839 crore for 14,586 schemes.

ABOUT JAL JEEVAN MISSION

• Extension: The Union Budget 2025-26 has extended the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) until 2028, with an increased focus on improving infrastructure quality and ensuring sustainable water supply through community involvement, known as "Jan Bhagidhari."
• Launch: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched JJM on August 15, 2019, by restructuring and subsuming the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP).
• Initial Goal: To provide tap water supply to every rural household by 2024, targeting 55 liters per person per day (lpcd).
• Nodal Ministry: Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• Funding Pattern (Centrally Sponsored Scheme):
  • 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States.
  • 100% for UTs.
  • 50:50 for rest of the States.

PROGRESS (AS OF AUGUST 2024)

• 15.07 Crore (77.98%) of rural households now have tap water connection.
• 188 districts, 1,838 blocks, 1,09,996 Gram Panchayats, and 2,33,209 villages have achieved ‘Har Ghar Jal’ status.
• Over 2.35 Crore households (79.21%) in Japanese Encephalitis (JE)-Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) affected Districts are getting clean tap water.
• 11 States/UTs (Goa, A&N Islands, Dadra Nagar Haveli & Daman Diu, Haryana, Telangana, Puducherry, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh) have achieved 100% tap water connection.
• 9,27,421 schools and 9,63,955 Anganwadi centers have tap water supply.

OBJECTIVES OF JJM The broad objectives of the Jal Jeevan Mission include:

• Providing Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household.
• Prioritizing FHTC provision in quality-affected areas, drought-prone regions, desert areas, and Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) villages.
• Ensuring functional tap connections in schools, Anganwadi centers, gram panchayat buildings, health and wellness centers, and community buildings.
• Monitoring the functionality of tap connections.
• Promoting voluntary ownership among the local community through contributions (cash, kind, or labor/shramdaan).
• Ensuring the sustainability of water supply systems (including water sources, infrastructure, and funding for regular operations and maintenance).
• Empowering and developing human resources in the water sector (covering construction, plumbing, electrical work, water quality management, water treatment, catchment protection, etc.).
• Raising awareness about the significance of safe drinking water and involving stakeholders to make water everyone's responsibility.

COMPONENTS SUPPORTED UNDER JJM

• Development of in-village piped water supply infrastructure.
• Development and augmentation of reliable drinking water sources.
• Bulk water transfer, treatment plants, and distribution networks.
• Technological interventions for contaminant removal.
• Retrofitting of ongoing and completed schemes to provide FHTCs at a minimum service level of 55 lpcd.
• Greywater management: Management of wastewater without faecal contamination (e.g., from showers, basins, washing machines), which has high potential for reuse.
• Support activities like Information, Education, and Communication (IEC), Human Resource Development (HRD), training, utility development, water quality laboratories, research and development, and community capacity building.

EMPLOYMENT GENERATION

• 59.9 lakh person-years of direct employment during capital expenditure phase.
• 2.2 crore person-years of indirect employment during capital expenditure phase.
• 13.3 lakh person-years of direct employment during operation and maintenance phase.

CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS

• Challenges: Lack of dependable water sources, groundwater contamination, uneven terrain, scattered habitations, and delays in statutory clearances.
• Solutions: Financial assistance, nodal officers for coordination, State and District Programme Management Units, and 'Nal Jal Mitra Programme' for skilled personnel.

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