India's version of The 3 Gorges Dam .
Modi certainly has grand plans for Gujarat though I suspect he won't be around when this project is commissioned.
Jal Jeevan Mission : News, Updates & Discussions
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India's version of The 3 Gorges Dam .
Modi certainly has grand plans for Gujarat though I suspect he won't be around when this project is commissioned.
“Shanghai Cooperation Organization film festival to commence with the world premiere of Priyadarshan’s Appatha”
“Film unites Priyadrashan and lead Urvashi after 28 years”
SCO film festival is all set to be a melting pot of myriad vibrant cultures, spectacle of aesthetic sensibilities and sheer cinematic excellence over the next five days : Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization festival will commence tommorow with the world premiere the Tamil film "Appatha". The film is directed by Padma awardee and National Award winning filmmaker Priyadarshan while Jio Studios and Wide Angle Creations are coproducers.The film features National Award-winning actor Urvashi in the lead role and will be benchmarked as her 700th film and 51 years in the Indian film industry. Director Priyadarshan has reunited with veteran actress Urvashi after 28 years, post the film Midhunam in 1993.
On Appatha opening the festival, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur said, “We are immensely proud to host the SCO film festival to mark the Chairmanship of India at SCO for 2022-23. India’s goal of organising the festival is to showcase the diversity of films and various styles of film making from from the SCO region. We also aim to build cinematic partnerships, have exchange of programmes, nurture young filmmaking talent and act as a bridge between the cultures of this unique region. We are delighted to commence the festival with the world premiere of Shri Priyadarshan’s film Appatha. It is a touching story of love and our bond with our pets. The SCO film festival is all set to be a melting pot of myriad vibrant cultures, spectacle of aesthetic sensibilities and sheer cinematic excellence over the next five days beginning on 27th January”
Sharing his delight at the film opening the festival Priyadarshan, Director, Appatha said “We are honoured Appatha has been selected as the opening film on this prestigious occasion. I would like to thank my producers Jio Studios and Wide Angle Creations for bringing this simple and lovely story to me. It has been a pleasure collaborating on this film and wonderful to be working with a phenomenal talent like Urvashi on her milestone 700th film. Appatha is different from anything I have attempted earlier and I am looking forward to seeing how the audience react to it.”
The SCO Film Festival Film Screenings and sessions will take place at two locations in Mumbai, 4 auditoriums at the Film Division Complex at Pedder Road and one NFDC Theater at Nehru Planetarium Building at Worli. A total of 57 Films will be showcased at the SCO Film Festival from SCO countries. In the Competition Section, 14 feature films are competing and will be screened and the Non-Competition section will showcase 43 Films. The films are dubbed or subtitled in English for the benefit of the jury and local audience.
Delegate registrations can be done online at sco.nfdcindia.com or physically at the festival venue. at INR 300 + GST for the festival or INR 100 per day. Registration for students is free of charge on a valid identity card.
About SCO Film Festival
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization film festival (SCO Film Festival) is being organized by the National Film Development Corporation, a Public Sector Undertaking of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in association with the SCO Council of Heads of States from the 27th - 31st of January, 2023, in Mumbai The SCO Film Festival is being organized to mark India’s Presidency at SCO.
Source : NFDC
“Shanghai Cooperation Organization film festival to commence with the world premiere of Priyadarshan’s Appatha”
Mumbai : 26 January 2023 The Shanghai Cooperation Organization festival will commence tommor
www.pib.gov.in
Har Ghar Jal in India: The social determinants of health approach in action
AUTHOR: OOMMEN C. KURIAN
The progress made through the Jal Jeevan Mission has laid a robust foundation for a transformative shift in public health dynamics, yet the journey towards achieving “Har Ghar Jal” is far from complete.
India may be going through a unique phase in its policy history, where many government initiatives with very high incremental impact on the health of Indians lie outside the Ministry of Health. This evolution of efforts within the broad Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) framework also reflects the whole-of-government and the “One Health” approaches, acknowledging that health outcomes are influenced by a multitude of factors and actors across various sectors.
The Health in All Policies (HiAP) framework by the World Health Organization (WHO) supports this interdisciplinary engagement, encouraging collaboration across sectors and levels of government to address health inequities and improve public health outcomes. It leverages systemic interactions and feedback mechanisms to foster sustainable health initiatives, recognising that health and well-being are interconnected with environmental, social, and economic policies.
Har Ghar Jal’s remarkable success in India
Water stands as a fundamental human necessity and a pivotal social determinant of health. It plays a critical role in shaping health outcomes across populations, influencing the spread of diseases and overall well-being.
In India, a nation marked by vast diversity and population, the endeavour to ensure universal access to safe and clean drinking water has been both a formidable challenge and a top priority of the government. The initiation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) by the Government of India in 2019 marked a significant milestone towards addressing this challenge, aiming to guarantee Har Ghar Jal—water supply to all households. The scheme aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to every household in rural India.
A little over 30 out of 190 million rural Indian households had tap water connections in India in 2019. However, in early 2024, 145 million households already have a tap water connection. This means that more than 20 million new tap connections are built every year, on average. This remarkable increase in the percentage of rural households with tap water connections, from 16.69 percent in 2019 to 75.18 percent by 2024, is the kind of spectacular policy success rarely seen in India’s social sector history (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Progress of Har Ghar Jal: New Water Connections per Year.
Source: JJM Dashboard
According to WHO estimates, in 2018, unsafe drinking water caused an estimated 125,995 diarrhoea deaths in India. Therefore, tackling the challenge of providing universal access to safe drinking water not only epitomises a critical stride towards enhancing public health but also embodies a significant leap in mitigating health disparities. There is a strong correlation observed between improved water access and a substantial decrease in diarrheal disease incidence, a major cause of child mortality.
Addressing water quality and accessibility can potentially avert these deaths annually, spotlighting the direct impact of this singular intervention on the nation's health indices and emphasising the integrated approach towards public health advancements.
The role of water as a social determinant of health is paramount. Clean water access influences a wide array of health and societal factors beyond the direct prevention of waterborne diseases. It impacts nutritional outcomes, children's educational attendance, women's labour and time, and economic opportunities. Traditionally, India has faced the dual challenges of water scarcity and compromised water quality. Despite progress over decades, a significant segment of the population remained deprived of safe drinking water, leading to a considerable burden of disease. Waterborne conditions such as diarrhoea, cholera, and hepatitis A have disproportionately impacted the most vulnerable, especially children under five. Therefore, the JJM embodies a public health initiative focused on reducing the incidence of acute diarrhoeal diseases alongside other water-related health conditions.
Recent research has shown that the programme's emphasis on decentralised governance and community participation highlights an essential insight: enduring change requires the active involvement of the communities it aims to benefit. Through targeted financial allocations to states and the strategic use of 15 finance commission grants, the JJM also demonstrated a citizen-centric approach in tackling one of the most significant public health challenges of our times. However, the mission extends beyond the provisioning of tap connections. It encompasses ensuring the supplied water's quality, bridging disparities in access, and the ongoing monitoring and management of water resources. The efforts to establish a comprehensive water quality monitoring and surveillance system are praiseworthy, aiming to guarantee the safety of water supplied through the JJM for consumption.
Reaching The Poorest And The Weakest
In accordance with Gandhi's talisman, the core aim of public policy should be to meticulously consider the impact of every decision on the poorest and the weakest individuals in society, ensuring that each step taken not only contributes positively to their lives but also empowers them, thereby fostering a society where freedom and equity are accessible to all.
The Jal Jeevan Mission has embodied Gandhi's talisman by manifesting this principle through its efforts.
In a significant stride towards inclusivity and health improvement, the Indian government has prioritised the provision of clean tap water to households in relatively poorer districts, plagued by Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). This initiative, part of the Jal Jeevan Mission, has remarkably increased tap water connections in 61 JE/AES-affected districts across five states from a mere 2.68 percent (8 lakh households) to 75.10 percent (2.23 crore households). This monumental increase (Figure 2) has significantly enhanced the health profile of the rural populace in these areas. Furthermore, by July 20, 2023, the mission has successfully eradicated the risk of arsenic and fluoride contamination in drinking water, benefiting all affected habitations reported in 2019—14,020 for arsenic and 7,996 for fluoride—thereby ensuring safe drinking water for all under its ambit.
Figure 2: Har Ghar Jal: Jal Jeevan Mission Progress in the Deprived Areas.
Source: https://ejalshakti.gov.in/JJM/JJMReports/pr_area/rpt_pr_area_district.aspx
Similarly, Har Ghar Jal also specifically focused on the 112 aspirational districts in the country. Identified based on their socio-economic indicators, these represent regions most in need of development and progress. By focusing on these areas, the initiative not only aims to enhance the quality of life through the provision of clean drinking water but also serves as a catalyst for socio-economic development. These districts across 27 states have also seen a remarkable increase in tap water connections from a mere 2.50 percent (5 lakh households) to 73.69 percent (1.5 crore households) (Figure 2). Such focus on underserved areas is in the true spirit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Way Forward
The JJM’s holistic approach, emphasising quality, accessibility, and sustainability, aligns with the global goals of ensuring water and sanitation for all. As India continues on this path, the lessons learned, and the successes achieved can serve as a model for other nations striving to overcome similar challenges. The dream of “Har Ghar Jal” is well within reach, symbolising not just the provision of water, but the nurturing of life, health, and prosperity for all citizens.
Oommen C. Kurian is a Senior Fellow and Head of Health Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation.
Har Ghar Jal in India: The social determinants of health approach in action
