New Delhi: The central government has issued a directive to all states and Union Territories, mandating the creation of digital identification (IDs) for all assets associated with the Jal Jeevan Mission. This flagship program focuses on providing piped drinking water connections to rural households across India. The move is primarily aimed at enhancing transparency in the management of these vital water supply projects.
Ashok Meena, the Union Secretary for Drinking Water and Sanitation, announced this initiative following a high-level meeting with state representatives in the national capital. During the meeting, a demonstration of a digitized Rural Piped Water Supply Schemes (RPWSS) module was presented. This module is designed to function as a centralized monitoring dashboard.
Meena explained that the RPWSS module will serve as a digital registry for all rural piped water supply schemes. A key feature of this system will be the rollout of unique RPWSS IDs. He emphasized that this step is crucial for enabling smarter and more efficient operation and maintenance of the rural water infrastructure.
States and Union Territories have been given a deadline of November-end to complete the creation of these RPWSS IDs. The government stressed the importance of this timeline to ensure “full data integrity and coverage” across all projects.
The Jal Jeevan Mission’s overarching goal is to ensure that every rural household in India, estimated at 194.2 million, has access to tap water connections by the end of 2024. Under the mission’s guidelines, each family is entitled to receive 55 liters of clean water per person per day.
Earlier this year, on June 26, Union Minister for Jal Shakti, CR Patil, had highlighted that comprehensive checks were being conducted on complaints regarding cost escalations within the Jal Jeevan Mission. He assured that any discrepancies or mistakes would be rectified, and no one involved, whether contractors or other personnel, would be spared.
In July, reports indicated that the Centre had informed states that it would not finance “additional liabilities” that fall outside the purview of the primary drinking water program, according to sources privy to the development.
Meena further stated that states and Union Territories have reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that all rural water supply assets are accurately represented on the digital portal.