Jal Jeevan Mission and Namami Gange: Water Access and River Restoration

The news

A senior World Bank official has described India's water initiatives as a model for developing countries. Saroj Kumar Jha, Global Director for Water at the World Bank Group, made the remarks during an online press conference ahead of the United Nations 2026 Water Conference. The conference, co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Senegal, will be held in Abu Dhabi from 8 to 10 December 2026.

Jha said India is a major success story for the World Bank Group and that every developing country is watching and wants to learn from its work in the water sector. He credited the Jal Jeevan Mission with extending improved drinking-water services to 800 million people in less than seven years. He also described the Namami Gange programme as highly successful in reducing pollution and improving the health of the Ganga River. The World Bank Group has supported the National Mission for Clean Ganga through various forms of financial assistance.

India is expected to participate actively in the conference and may send a large delegation of senior officials. It will also organise a special programme on river cities, focusing on water security and resilience.

When was the Jal Jeevan Mission launched?

The Jal Jeevan Mission was announced on 15 August 2019 with the goal of providing functional household tap connections to every rural home by 2024. It operates under the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation within the Ministry of Jal Shakti, which was formed in 2019 by merging two earlier ministries. The mission succeeded the National Rural Drinking Water Programme, which had run since 2009. The Namami Gange programme was approved by the Union Cabinet in May 2015 as a flagship initiative with a budget of ₹20,000 crore. The National Mission for Clean Ganga, registered as a society in 2011, serves as its implementation arm under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.

What are Jal Jeevan Mission and Namami Gange?

Jal Jeevan Mission, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, aims to provide safe drinking water to rural households. Namami Gange addresses pollution and the health of the Ganga River. The two programmes illustrate the need to manage both water supply and the ecosystems that support it.

What has the World Bank praised and what is the next step?

Jha described improved drinking-water access for 800 million people in less than seven years as a major achievement. He also credited Namami Gange with helping reduce pollution and improve river health. The planned UN 2026 Water Conference provides a forum for cooperation on water security and sanitation. India’s proposed river-cities programme can encourage discussion of urban water security and resilience to water-related challenges.