India's Arsenic-Free Revolution: A Triumph of Jal Jeevan Mission

The Jal Jeevan Mission has reduced arsenic-affected habitations in India from 14,020 to 314 since August 2019. The initiative aims to provide safe potable water to every rural household through effective measures, including water quality labs and community purification plants, ensuring contamination-free water nationwide.

India's Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has notably decreased the number of arsenic-affected habitations from 14,020 to 314 since August 2019, according to a statement made by Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil in the Rajya Sabha.

Through collaborative efforts with states under the Har Ghar Jal initiative, the JJM aims to ensure every rural household in India has access to adequate, contamination-free tap water. Initiatives include setting up over 2,000 water quality laboratories and developing an online Water Quality Management Information System.

The initiative also prioritizes quality-affected areas for potable water supply, and states have been advised to install community water purification plants as an interim solution. With a substantial budget for 2025-26, states are expected to enhance water quality monitoring and develop relevant projects.

(With inputs from agencies.)