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

News: The government has launched Swachh Bharat Mission Phase-2. It will focus on plastic waste management, biodegradable solid waste management, grey water management and faecal sludge management.

About Schemes

The Swachh Bharat Mission: It was launched to stop the scourge of open defecation. More than 10 crore toilets were built with a twin-pit design that has in-situ treatment of faecal sludge.

The Jal Jeevan Mission: It was launched in 2010. It is aimed at providing tap water connections to over 9.6 crore rural households.

The Concept of Convergence

Ex-FM Arun Jaitley introduced convergence as one of the primary operating principles of the government in his first budget speech.

There is a power of unity. One stick may break but when many sticks are bundled together, it’s impossible to break the stack. The unity lies in convergence between ideas, projects and schemes.

About Swachh Bharat Mission Phase-2: – Convergence of the Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission-

Both, the Jal Jeevan Mission and the Swachh Bharat Mission faced the challenge of managing grey water discharge. About 70% of all household water turns into grey water, which can lead to undesirable consequences, if discharged untreated.

Therefore, the Jal Jeevan Mission has been converged with the Swachh Bharat Mission under SBA to achieve holistic sanitation in which the treatment of grey water became a vital component.

Under SBA Phase-2, arrangements for solid and liquid waste management have been made in the focussed areas.

Under the second phase, the government will have the continuous pursuit of perfection like covering loose ends, plugging gaps in delivery and taking the benefits to the last man in line.

Agenda of Swachh Bharat Mission’s Phase 2

Two-thirds of all toilets which were not connected to the main sewer lines during SBA-1 will be connected. This will lead to a solution to the problem of untreated faecal sludge which at present does not find entry into sewer lines.

It will also address India’s plastic waste pollution problem which is staggering at present

Both Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA) are centred around the dignity of women.

(1) JJM aims to relieve women of the drudgery of travelling long distances to fetch water, and

(2) The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and UNICEF survey revealed that 80% of the respondents stated that safety and security were the main drivers of their decision to construct toilets. Around 93% of women reported feeling safe and said that they had found dignity in using household toilets.

(3) The Jal Jeevan Mission reserves 50% seats for women in village and water sanitation committees. In every village, at least five women have been entrusted with water quality surveillance etc.

Achievements of SBA-2 So Far

3.5 lakh villages have become plastic dump free and nearly 4.23 lakh villages have minimal litter.

Nearly 178 faecal sludge treatment plants and nearly 90,000 km of drains have been constructed.

Importance of these schemes

A 2006 study revealed that inadequate sanitation cost India 6% of India’s GDP or Rs 2.4 trillion at that time. Thus, SBM apart from preventing GDP loss, provides annual benefits worth Rs 53,000 per household.

Way Forward

These schemes should be regarded as stepping stones to taking on tougher challenges. It strikes at the root of social problems.

Source: The post is based on an article “The Jal Jeevan and Swachh Bharat Missions are combining to improve people’s well-being” published in the Indian Express on 10^th June 2022.