Jal Jeevan Mission Extended Till 2028 With Enhanced Budget Allocation

The government has extended the Jal Jeevan Mission until 2028, with an increased budgetary outlay to achieve universal tap water coverage in rural India, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced while presenting the Union Budget 2025.

Progress Under the Mission

The Finance Minister stated that 15 crore households, covering 80% of India’s rural population, have already been provided access to potable tap water connections under the mission. Initially, the target for full coverage was set for 2024, but the extension aims to ensure 100% completion over the next three years.

The mission focuses on improving infrastructure quality and enhancing operations and maintenance through jan bhagidari. To strengthen water service delivery, separate MoUs will be signed with states and union territories for sustainable and citizen-centric implementation.

Objectives of the Jal Jeevan Mission

The mission aims to provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) to every rural household and prioritise coverage in drought-prone areas, desert regions, and water-quality-affected zones. Other key objectives include:

• Ensuring tap water access in schools, anganwadis, health centres, and gram panchayat buildings
• Promoting community ownership through voluntary contributions in cash, kind, or labour
• Developing robust institutional frameworks for service delivery and financial sustainability
• Enhancing local capacity building for water infrastructure, treatment, plumbing, and maintenance
• Raising awareness about safe drinking water and water conservation

Key Components of the Mission

The Jal Jeevan Mission provides financial and technical support for the following initiatives:

• Expansion of piped water infrastructure to ensure last-mile connectivity in rural areas
• Development of reliable drinking water sources and augmentation of existing ones
• Installation of bulk water transfer systems, treatment plants, and distribution networks
• Technological solutions for removing contaminants from drinking water
• Greywater management and wastewater treatment
• Capacity-building programmes for communities and local institutions
• Emergency response measures for water supply disruptions due to natural calamities

Policy Focus and Implementation

The government’s renewed commitment to the mission aligns with its broader agenda of strengthening rural infrastructure while ensuring water security for all. Experts highlight that improving water supply reliability and quality will have long-term benefits for public health, economic productivity, and rural development.

With the extension of the mission, all states and union territories are expected to accelerate implementation efforts, ensuring that the goal of universal tap water access is met in a sustainable and efficient manner by 2028.