SWAJAL Scheme {स्वजल योजना}

The SWAJAL scheme was launched by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation to supply clean and safe drinking water for domestic, cooking, and drinking purposes. The goal was to make safe and clean drinking water accessible for the people in a rural area at every time. The water must be of good quality and available at all times for use. The Scheme will be implemented in 117 selected districts, as notified by NITI Aayog. The project is being executed as a challenge mode program in the aspiration districts.

Aim of the Scheme

The community based safe and drinking water projects will be called SWAJAL. The Scheme's primary goal is to provide continuous and appropriate quality drinkable water in an incorporated way to the people living in rural areas. It is planned that the Government will plan everything collaborating with the village communities to design, plan, build, maintain, and operate the water supply system under this Scheme. The focus is on providing filtered water for better health and hygiene of the people. It is the state government's responsibility to facilitate, support, and give every requirement for the construction work and everything else that is needed under the project.

The objective of the Scheme

To provide hygienic and clean, if possible solar energy-based piped water supply in 117 districts via community-based, managed, and designed water supply. 

Scope of the Scheme

The following components are the scope of the SWAJAL scheme:

• The building of tube-well or bore-well with appropriate casing in the critical places.
• Establishment of a pump in required areas with the dry run sensor.
• Usage of an excellent quality sensor for ease of pump operation.
• The pipes must be of good quality and the required length for excellent quality water delivery. 
• The number of needed stand polls will be decided according to the requirements and location by the villagers.
• There will be the good quality of soak-pit around every stand post for safe discarding of water.
• Installation of solar panel with required power capacity with fencing for the supply of water.
• Regular disinfection of water for the better quality of water.
• Identifying the proper water sources and building of water supply near it.
• Sensor to operate the water supply.
• Installation of pumps with sensor features.

Foundation of the Scheme

The SWAJAL scheme is a scheme in challenge mode, done quite well because of the intra-state challenges. It was successful in implementing the Scheme at provincial levels along with the help of NGOs and the Government. And it is now a central government-led program because of the growing demand. 

• Collaborating with NGOs, village communities, and the Government as the mediator and financing the Scheme together successfully.
• The chances of misusing the funds were zero to minimal because of the regular monitoring and checking by the stakeholders.
• Uplifting of the PRIs was a critical and durable alternative for the distribution of the service delivery pattern.
• The alteration from the supply-based model to the demand-based model is quite challenging, and it requires financial support at different stages. Still, it worked with the approval of the brand new model.
• There were better facilities with proper techniques in the community management part.
• Few forms of outside support to the communities are very crucial to guarantee sustainability for an extended period.

Guidelines for Investment

The new investments must follow these guidelines mentioned below:

• Preliminary Steps- In this step, the distribution of the SWAJAL scheme guidelines and regulations in all the state and collection of already available information about the water sources, and the recruitment at the institutional level will be implemented in this program.
• Selection of the Scheme: The program will be exposed via different categories, which are recognized along with practical studies to assemble primary data about the collected schemes.
• The project cycle: preparation and implementation of the project will be done along with following a set of pre-defined guidelines and actions, which also involve the villages.
• Support after Implementation: there will be regular cooperation to sustain the program's importance during regular monitoring of all the activities.

Benefits of SWAJAL scheme                                 

• Sustainable and good quality water which is easily accessible.
• Avoiding diseases transmitted by lousy quality water like diarrhea.
• Better health and hygiene of the people.
• Fewer burdens on women as they will get easy access to water.
• Access to safe and clean drinking water at all times.

You will be able to find more information about this scheme on SWAJAL official website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the SWAJAL scheme?

SWAJAL is a scheme by the government of India with National Rural Drinking Water Program which is introduced by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitization with the goal of providing clean and hygienic drinking water to the people living in rural areas.

Q. When was this scheme implemented?

The SWAJAL scheme was launched in February 2018. Initially, it was implemented in Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhyapradesh and Uttarakhand and then later on it was extended to 117 Districts of the country.

Q. What was the budget?

The total budget of the scheme was seven hundred crore for the 117 districts of India under the already existing funds from National Rural Drinking Program.

Q. What is the objective of the scheme?

The main objective of the scheme is to provide piped water supply to the 117 selected districts of the country.

Q. Why is it called a challenge based scheme?

This scheme is called a challenge based scheme because of the funds distributing system. Under this scheme, a single district has the access to get all the funds out of all the aspiration districts.

Q. What are the mandatory components under this initiative?

Some of the mandatory components under this scheme are stand posts, tub wells, pipes, pump with dry sensor, recharge structure, soak pit, customer care centers, etc. 

Q. What is the funding pattern of the project?

The funding ration of the north eastern and Himalayan states is 81:09:10 and for other states it is 45:45:10. The states will provide the funds at district level only if possible. 

Q. Is there any provision for Customer Care Services?

Yes, the customer care services will be set up by the RWS or PHED.