Assam Amrit Jal Mission (অসম অমৃত জল মিছন) 2023: An effective addition to Jal Jeevan Mission (জল জীৱন মিছন)

Assam Amrit Jal Mission is a potent addition in the context of ongoing Jal Jeevan Mission in India. The thrust area of Jal Jeevan Mission is to provide accessibility to safe and pure drinking water to the rural population through individual household tap connections. This mission is targeted to be completed by the year 2024. The program additionally includes source conservation efforts as requirements, such as water saving, rainwater collection, and restoration and recycling through grey water management. A crucial element of the Jal Jeevan Mission would be substantial information, education, and communication. It will be focused on a community-based approach to water. It will be focused on a community-based approach to water. Jal Jeevan Mission seeks to establish a ‘জন আন্দোলন’ (people’s movement) for water, elevating it to a universal priority.

Objectives of Jal Jeevan Mission: Assam Amrit Jal Mission

The broad objectives of the Mission are:

• To provide Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every rural household.
• To prioritize provision of FHTCs in quality affected areas, villages in drought prone and desert areas, Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) সাংসদ আদৰ্শ গ্ৰাম যোজনা villages, etc.
• To provide functional tap connection to Schools (বিদ্যালয়সমূহ), Anganwadi centers (অংগনবাড়ী কেন্দ্ৰসমূহ), Gaon Panchayat buildings (গাওঁ পঞ্চায়ত ভৱন), Health centers (স্বাস্থ্য কেন্দ্ৰসমূহ), wellness centers (সুস্থতা কেন্দ্ৰসমূহ) and community buildings (সম্প্ৰদায় ভৱনসমূহ).
• To monitor functionality of tap connections.
• To promote and ensure voluntary ownership among local community by way of contribution in cash, kind and/ or labour and voluntary labour (shramdaan- শ্ৰমদান)
• To assist in ensuring sustainability of water supply system, i.e. water source, water supply infrastructure, and funds for regular O&M
• To empower and develop human resource in the sector such that the demands of construction, plumbing, electrical, water quality management, water treatment, catchment protection, O&M, etc. are taken care of in short and long term
• To bring awareness on various aspects and significance of safe drinking water and involvement of stakeholders in manner that make water everyone’s business.

Components of Jal Jeevan Mission: Assam Amrit Jal Mission

The following components are supported under the Jal Jeevan Mission: Assam Amrit Jal Mission-

• Development of in-village piped water supply infrastructure to provide tap water connection to every rural household
• Development of reliable drinking water sources and/ or augmentation of existing sources to provide long-term sustainability of water supply system
• Wherever necessary, bulk water transfer, treatment plants and distribution network to cater to every rural household
• Technological interventions for removal of contaminants where water quality is an issue
• Retrofitting of completed and ongoing schemes to provide FHTCs at minimum service level of 55 lpcd;
• Greywater management
• Support activities, i.e. IEC, HRD, training, development of utilities, water quality laboratories, water quality testing & surveillance, R&D, knowledge centre, capacity building of communities, etc.
• Any other unforeseen challenges/ issues emerging due to natural disasters/ calamities which affect the goal of FHTC to every household by 2024, as per guidelines of Ministry of Finance on Flexi Funds.

Assam Amrit Jal Mission:

The Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) (জনস্বাস্থ্য কাৰিকৰী বিভাগ), Jorhat District Office has implemented this mission for the service of the people. It was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma at the 3rd Jal Jeevan Sammilan at Jorhat district of Assam on 17 August, 2023.

Primary objective of the mission:

• This mission is an individual initiative of Public Health and Education Department (PHED) (জনস্বাস্থ্য কাৰিকৰী বিভাগ), Jorhat District Office. However, the Chief Minister has acknowledged the effort and directed other districts’ officials also to bring up such initiatives in their own districts.
• The primary goal of the mission is to provide 20 litres of safe and packaged drinking water to residents of Jorhat.
• The mission is also targeted to provide safe, packaged drinking water not just in quality but also at affordable prices so that it can reach out to every individual in the district.
• Such provision of drinking water shall be made mainly during observation of festivals, public meetings, gatherings, emergency situations and in the course of disaster activities such as flood, erosion, landslides etc.
• The supply of such drinking water shall be provided as per requirement in social functions.
• PHED has also provided a toll free number for the citizens- 1800-889-3047, ১৮০০-৮৮৯-৩০৪৭

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Also read:
Assam Industrial and Investment Policy (Amendment), 2023: All you need to know!

MISSION BASUNDHARA 3.0 ASSAM (মিছন বসুন্ধৰা ৩.০ অসম): What’s new on Mission Basundhara Assam?