What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
NEW DELHI: A recent research report by the State Bank of India (SBI) on Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and its socio-economic impact reveals a transformative change in rural India and that it helped in empowering rural women. This government initiative was launched on August 15, in 2019 aimed to provide tap water connections to every rural household by 2024.
According to the report, only 17% of rural households had access to tap water at the time of its inception, meanwhile now as of October this year, the figure has raised to 78.62%, with over 15.20 crore households now benefiting from reliable access to potable water.
The report further credits the remarkable progress to an investment of ₹3.60 lakh crore, shared between the central and state governments.
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The major highlight of this report was about how JJM has significantly reduced the burden of fetching water for women, a task that traditionally consumed considerable time and effort in rural households. It showed a direct link between improved water access and increased economic participation by women.
For every 8.3 percentage point decline in households relying on water from outside premises, there is a corresponding 7.4 percentage point rise in women’s involvement in agriculture and allied activities.
States like Bihar and Jharkhand, which historically struggled with low female labour force participation, are witnessing transformative changes. Women, now freed from the daily chore of fetching water, are stepping into income-generating roles, contributing to their families and local economies.
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The mission’s socio-economic impact aligns with broader trends, between 2017 and 2023, rural female labour force participation in India rose from 24.6% to 41.5%, reflecting the success of initiatives like JJM and complementary government schemes aimed at empowering women.
Despite its achievements, challenges are not over yet, regional disparities in water access and varying socio-economic conditions require tailored strategies to sustain and expand the mission’s impact. Yet, JJM stands as a example of how infrastructure development can catalyze societal change, offering rural women new opportunities for economic and personal growth.
