Idea of Converging Jal Jeevan and Swachh Bharat Missions

In Context

The Jal Jeevan and Swachh Bharat Missions are combining to improve people’s well-being

Why does the Concept of convergence come in ?

• The Jal Jeevan Mission faces a challenge similar to that faced by the Swachh Bharat Mission — managing grey water discharge.
  •  About 70 per cent of all household water turns into grey water, which if untreated leads to undesirable consequences. 
  • This is where the concept of convergence comes in.
  • The Jal Jeevan Mission converged with the Swachh Bharat Mission to achieve holistic sanitation in which the treatment of grey water became a vital component.
    • It will plug gaps in delivery and take the benefits to the last man in line. 

About 

• Swachh Bharat Mission
  • It was launched  on 2nd October 2014 to accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to put the focus on sanitation,
  • Under the mission, all villages, Gram Panchayats, Districts, States and Union Territories in India declared themselves “open-defecation free” (ODF) by 2 October 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, by constructing over 100 million toilets in rural India. 
  • Phase II-
    • The government has launched Swachh Bharat Mission Phase 2 with a focus on plastic waste management, biodegradable solid waste management, grey water management and faecal sludge management. 
    • ODF Plus activities under Phase II of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) will reinforce ODF behaviours and focus on providing interventions for the safe management of solid and liquid waste in villages.

• Jal Jeevan Mission: 
  • It is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India. 
  • It will also implement source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through grey water management, water conservation, rain water harvesting. 
  • It will be based on a community approach to water and will include extensive Information, Education and communication as a key component of the mission. 
  • It intends to relieve women of the drudgery of travelling long distances to fetch water. 
    • The Swachh Bharat Mission too is centred around the dignity of women.