District Development Commissioner, Rajouri, Vikas Kundal today launched a four-day orientation program on the Jal Jeevan Mission for the PRI members of the district.
JJM is an ambitious program that seeks to provide tap water to every rural household in the country by 2024. The workshop is being organized by ISA, KRC-Himalayan Institute Trust—Dehradun, in collaboration with the district administration.
The main objectives of the workshop are to discuss and review the progress of the Jal Jeevan Mission, identify issues and challenges faced in the implementation and seek suggestions from the civil society to address the issues hampering the successful implementation of the scheme on the ground. The workshop would also provide an opportunity to share success stories/suggestions that might provide some learning for other stakeholders in the implementation process.
Speaking at the event, the District Development Commissioner said, such workshops, involving the participation of all stakeholders, are an important step towards effective implementation of JJM. “The initiative will significantly help in accelerating the process of providing piped water to all rural households in an effective, efficient, and sustainable manner. Such initiatives can go a long way to guarantee a better quality of life for the rural population of the area and access to safe drinking water” he said and added that the Jal Jeevan Mission is developed in such a way that ownership of the plan rests with the Gram Panchayats .
He expressed hope and said that the target for the implementation of the project will be achieved with the cooperation and active participation of all the functionaries at the district, block, and village levels. He also informed them that the strategy adopted for the implementation of JJM is based on a community approach that includes extensive information, education, and communication as key components of the mission.
The DDC also interacted with the Sarpanches, Panches, and other participants, seeking suggestions on the execution of JJM Projects in their respective Panchayats and wards.
The DDC stressed the need to turn this campaign into a people’s movement so that the local community could be sensitized about the need for effective water management practices by organizing awareness campaigns. The campaign will focus on sensitisation of the local communities on their role and responsibilities in ensuring safe water to children and promotion of good practices and promoting learning through exchange of successes and failures, he explained.
He urged upon the PRIs to take responsibility for implementing the scheme at the ground level and also to mobilize the people to take part in this change being advocated to improve living standards of the people.
The house also pledged to conserve and preserve water. The Coordinator from ISA said that it was duty of every individual to conserve and preserve water resources for future generations. “Through effective policies, public education, research and development, we can ensure that everyone, now and in the future, has access to a reliable supply of clean, fresh water. Taking action now is crucial for preserving this vital resource for generations to come’ he said.
