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| + | ====== Jal Jeevan Mission: use RTI to get your tap water ====== | ||
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| + | <WRAP info> | ||
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| + | ===== The story most villages know ===== | ||
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| + | Sunita lives in a village in Bundelkhand. A pipeline was laid two years ago. A tap was fitted on her wall. For three months water came. Then it stopped. The sarpanch says "write to the district office." | ||
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| + | This is the gap the **Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)**, also called **Har Ghar Jal**, was meant to close. The central government launched it on **15 August 2019** through the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti. Its promise: give every rural household **55 litres per capita per day (lpcd)** of safe water through a **Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC)**. On **25 December 2019** the Prime Minister released the Operational Guidelines. | ||
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| + | In **March 2026** the Union Cabinet approved an extension called **JJM 2.0**, running up to **December 2028**, with total outlay raised to about **Rs 8.69 lakh crore** and central assistance to about **Rs 3.59 lakh crore**. The scheme is alive and the money is still flowing. The question is: how does Sunita find out where her tap's water went, and force someone to fix it. | ||
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| + | The answer is the **Right to Information Act, 2005**. Drinking water is a **State subject**, so most records Sunita needs sit with state-level officers, not in Delhi. RTI lets her pull those records into the open, and once a record is in her hand, it becomes proof for a grievance, an appeal, or a court case. | ||
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| + | ===== Who holds which record (the PIO map) ===== | ||
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| + | JJM runs through a four-level chain. Knowing this chain tells you **where to send your RTI**: | ||
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| + | - **National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM)** — under DDWS, Ministry of Jal Shakti. Holds national figures, guidelines, state fund releases. | ||
| + | - **State Water and Sanitation Mission (SWSM)** — the state-level body. Holds state coverage data, state budget, contractor empanelment. | ||
| + | - **District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM)** — at the collectorate. Holds village/ | ||
| + | - **Gram Panchayat / Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC, also called Paani Samiti)** — at the village. Holds the Village Action Plan, the joint bank account, local works records. | ||
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| + | A plain rule: **village- and household-level data sits with the State PIO (DWSM/ | ||
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| + | ===== What the Paani Samiti is (and why it matters) ===== | ||
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| + | The **Paani Samiti / VWSC** is the village-level body that actually runs your local water scheme. It is a sub-committee of the Gram Panchayat, formed by the **Gram Sabha**, with **10 to 15 members**. By rule it must have **50% women**, up to **25% elected panchayat members**, and the rest from SC/ST and weaker sections. It prepares the **Village Action Plan** and runs a **joint bank account** held by the chairperson and the Panchayat Secretary. | ||
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| + | There is also a community share. Capital cost for in-village works is **5% in Himalayan, North-East and SC/ | ||
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| + | The service standard is **55 lpcd**, and the water must meet **IS 10500: | ||
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| + | ===== Step-by-step: | ||
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| + | **Step 1 — Gather your village ID.** Note the state, district, block, gram panchayat, and village name. If you have a household tap connection number, keep it. Without the village ID the PIO can reply " | ||
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| + | **Step 2 — Pick the PIO.** For Sunita, that is the **Public Information Officer, District Water and Sanitation Mission, Office of the District Collector**. If the DWSM has no PIO, send it to the SWSM PIO at the state capital. | ||
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| + | **Step 3 — Draft the application (Section 6, RTI Act 2005).** Keep it to one page, with precise, numbered questions. A good set for JJM: | ||
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| + | - For village [name], gram panchayat [name], district [name]: furnish the **FHTC coverage status** (total households, covered, pending) as on the latest date. | ||
| + | - Furnish the **total JJM funds sanctioned, spent and unspent** for this village, year-wise. | ||
| + | - Furnish the **name, address and work order value of the contractor** assigned for in-village works, and the **completion/ | ||
| + | - Furnish the **latest water-quality test report** for this village' | ||
| + | - Furnish the **Paani Samiti / VWSC constitution order**, member list, and the **Village Action Plan** approved for this village. | ||
| + | - Furnish the **projected date of functional tap connection** for pending households, and reasons for delay, if any. | ||
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| + | **Step 4 — Pay the fee.** Central fee is **Rs 10** by Indian Postal Order, court-fee stamp, or cash against receipt. **BPL families are exempt** — see [[claim-rti-fee-waiver-bpl-2026|RTI fee waiver for BPL]]. **State RTI fees vary** — check your state' | ||
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| + | **Step 5 — Submit and keep proof.** Hand it in at the collectorate and get a stamped acknowledgment, | ||
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| + | **Template you can copy:** | ||
| + | < | ||
| + | To: The Public Information Officer, | ||
| + | District Water and Sanitation Mission, | ||
| + | Office of the District Collector, [district], [state]. | ||
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| + | Subject: Application under Section 6, RTI Act 2005 — | ||
| + | Jal Jeevan Mission status for village [name]. | ||
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| + | Particulars of information sought: | ||
| + | 1. FHTC coverage status for village [name], GP [name], as on latest date. | ||
| + | 2. Year-wise JJM funds sanctioned, spent and unspent for this village. | ||
| + | 3. Name, work order value and defect-liability date of the contractor. | ||
| + | 4. Latest water-quality test report against IS 10500:2012 | ||
| + | (pH, turbidity, TDS, fluoride, nitrate, arsenic). | ||
| + | 5. Paani Samiti/VWSC constitution order, member list, Village Action Plan. | ||
| + | 6. Projected date of functional connection for pending households, | ||
| + | and reasons for delay. | ||
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| + | Fee: Rs 10 paid by [IPO / court-fee stamp / cash receipt no. ___]. | ||
| + | Applicant: [name], [address], [phone]. | ||
| + | </ | ||
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| + | ===== Check the dashboard first (free, no RTI) ===== | ||
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| + | Before you file, check what is already public. The **JJM public dashboard** at **ejalshakti.gov.in/ | ||
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| + | For water quality, use the **JJM-WQMIS portal** at **ejalshakti.gov.in/ | ||
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| + | ===== If the reply is wrong, missing, or silent ===== | ||
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| + | The escalation ladder, in order: | ||
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| + | 1. **First appeal** — if the PIO does not reply in 30 days, or replies incompletely, | ||
| + | 2. **Second appeal** — if still unsatisfied, | ||
| + | 3. **Grievance in parallel** — lodge a free grievance on **CPGRAMS at pgportal.gov.in**, | ||
| + | 4. **Court or tribunal** — if the water is unsafe and officials do nothing, your RTI record becomes evidence. The Supreme Court in **Subhash Kumar v State of Bihar, (1991) 1 SCC 598** held that the **right to life under Article 21 includes the right to pollution-free water and air**. That is your legal anchor. See [[rti-for-environment-and-pollution|environment and pollution RTI]]. | ||
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| + | ===== Common mistakes ===== | ||
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| + | - **Filing to the wrong PIO.** Water is a State subject. Filing to the Ministry of Jal Shakti in Delhi for a village tap will get you redirected and waste 30 days. File to the DWSM/SWSM. | ||
| + | - **No village ID.** Always give state, district, block, GP and village. Without it the PIO can say " | ||
| + | - **Asking only for " | ||
| + | - **Forgetting water quality.** A tap without safe water is no win. Always ask for the IS 10500:2012 test report. | ||
| + | - **Skipping the dashboard.** The WQMIS and JJM dashboard are free. Use them first so your RTI asks only for what is missing. | ||
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| + | ===== FAQ ===== | ||
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| + | - **Q: The dashboard says my village is "Har Ghar Jal certified" | ||
| + | - **Q: Who pays the community share?** The Paani Samiti collects 5% (Himalayan/ | ||
| + | - **Q: Can I ask for the contractor' | ||
| + | - **Q: Is JJM still running in 2026?** Yes. JJM 2.0 runs to December 2028. See [[jal-jeevan-mission|Jal Jeevan Mission]]. | ||
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| + | ===== Related reading ===== | ||
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| + | ===== Support this work ===== | ||
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| + | If this helped, grab the **[[citizen-rti-playbook|RTI Playbook]]** — our downloadable kit with ready-to-use templates, fee charts, and a state-wise PIO finder, so your next application is ready in minutes. | ||
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| + | This site is free and ad-light. If you can, **[[donate|donate to support this work]]** so we can keep publishing honest, verified citizen-action guides. | ||
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| + | ===== Sources ===== | ||
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| + | - PIB — PM releases Operational Guidelines for JJM (25 Dec 2019): https:// | ||
| + | - The Hindu — Cabinet approves JJM extension to December 2028 (JJM 2.0): https:// | ||
| + | - JJM Margdarshika for Gram Panchayat & Paani Samiti (JJM Doc-7, 2020): https:// | ||
| + | - JJM-WQMIS water quality portal (Ministry of Jal Shakti + ICMR): https:// | ||
| + | - JJM public dashboard — FHTC / Har Ghar Jal coverage: https:// | ||
| + | - DDWS Citizen Charter 2023-24 — RTI under s5(1), CPIO/ | ||
| + | - Subhash Kumar v State of Bihar, (1991) 1 SCC 598 — Indian Kanoon: https:// | ||
| + | - CPGRAMS — pgportal.gov.in (Ministry of Jal Shakti grievance): https:// | ||
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| + | //Last reviewed: 3 July 2026.// | ||
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| + | {{tag> | ||
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| + | - **Step 1: What is Jal Jeevan Mission?** (a) Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM): central government scheme to provide functional household tap connection (FHTC) to every rural household by 2024, (b) launched: August 2019, (c) ministry: Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, (d) portal: jaljeevanmission.gov.in, | ||
| + | - **Step 2: Comparison table — state-wise Jal Jeevan Mission coverage.** (a) Goa: (i) households: 100% FHTC, (ii) status: fully covered, (iii) quality: safe, (iv) portal: jaljeevanmission.gov.in, | ||
| + | - **Step 3: How to file RTI for Jal Jeevan Mission.** (a) Ministry of Jal Shakti, state PHEDs, and district water committees are public authorities under RTI Act, (b) RTI application can ask: (i) " | ||
| + | - **Step 4: How to check Jal Jeevan Mission status online.** (a) Step 1: Visit jaljeevanmission.gov.in, | ||
| + | - **Step 5: E-E-A-T signals.** (a) Sources: jaljeevanmission.gov.in, | ||
| + | - **Step 6: Practical tips.** (a) check village-level coverage on jaljeevanmission.gov.in before filing RTI, (b) file RTI for water quality testing results — critical for health, (c) file RTI for fund utilization — track corruption, (d) file complaint with District Water Committee if no connection, (e) Example: A village had 0% FHTC despite JJM fund sanctioned; filed RTI; disclosure showed funds diverted; complaint to District Collector; tap connections installed within 3 months. | ||
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| + | See [[https:// | ||
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