Goa and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (D&NH and D&D) become the country's first 'Har Ghar Jal' certified State and UT, respectively, with people from all villages declaring their village as 'Har Ghar Jal' through a Gram Sabha resolution, certifying that all households in the villages have access to safe drinking water through taps, ensuring that 'No One is Left Out.' Every rural household in Goa, as well as 85,156 in Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, has access to potable water via a tap connection.
Jal Jeevan Mission is a flagship programme of the Government of India that was announced on August 15, 2019 from the ramparts of Red Fort by a visionary Prime Minister. By 2024, the mission aims to provide potable tap water in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality, and on a regular and long-term basis to every rural household in the country. The programme is run by the Government of India in collaboration with the states/UTs.
Despite the numerous disruptions and challenges encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic, the consistent efforts of Panchayat representatives, Pani Samitis, District and State/UT officials of Goa, as well as D&NH and D&D, have resulted in this achievement. All schools, Anganwadi centers, public institutions such as Gram Panchayat buildings, healthcare centres, community centres, ashramshalas, and other government offices now have access to potable water via tap connections.
According to the Jal Jeevan Mission's Margdarshika, the certification process begins with the field engineer submitting a completion certificate for the water supply scheme to the Panchayat during a Gram Sabha meeting. The villages confirm, through a Gram Sabha resolution, that every household receives a regular supply of water of prescribed quality and that no household is left out. They also confirm that all schools, Anganwadi centres, and other public institutions now have access to running water.
In all 378 villages of Goa and 96 villages of D&NH and D&D, a Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC) or paani samiti has been formed. VWSC is in charge of the operation, maintenance, and repair of water supply infrastructure built under the 'Har Ghar Jal' programme. This Gram Panchayat sub-committee is also responsible for collecting user charges, which will be deposited in a bank account and used to pay the pump operator's honorarium and carry out minor repair work as needed.
Water quality is an important aspect of the mission, and at least five women in each village are trained to conduct water testing. More than ten lakh women in the country are now trained to use Field Test Kits (FTKs) to test the quality of water supplied to rural households. These women have tested over 57 lakh water samples with Field Testing Kits (FTKs)
Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, aur Sabka Prayas," more than 52% of rural households in the country are now connected to tap water, up from 17% when the transformational mission was launched on August 15, 2019.
