Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has extended an official development assistance (ODA) loan of 45,816 Million Japanese Yen (approximately INR 3,272 Crore) for its support to Rajasthan Rural Water Supply and Fluorosis Mitigation Project (Phase 2) in Jhunjhunu and Barmer Districts of Rajasthan to provide safe, clean and sustainable drinking water to people and to control the water borne diseases in the area.
The objective of the Project is to provide sustainable and safe drinking water supply by constructing water treatment plants and related facilities and implementing capacity development of Village Water and Sanitation Committee as well as Community Development Activities. Most part of the State of Rajasthan for drinking water supply are largely dependent on groundwater as their source. However, due to the increasing pressure of population, the groundwater recourses have been depleted and many sources are contaminated with nitrate, chloride and fluoride above the permissible limits, which is harmful for human health. The water borne diseases such as Acute Diarrhoeal Diseases, Enteric Fever (Typhoid), Viral Hepatitis (All Causes) & Cholera have also been reported in these districts.
The ODA loan agreement was signed between Dr. C.S. Mohapatra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Mr. MATSUMOTO Katsuo, Chief Representative, JICA India.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. MATSUMOTO Katsuo, Chief Representative, JICA India said, “Groundwater quality in Rajasthan has been largely affected by the presence of both human-made pollutants and naturally derived Fluoride in the rock strata. The fluoride level in the groundwater is well over the WHO drinking water permissible limit and undrinkable for the local communities. The desert district of Barmer was declared as drought prone area because of very low rain fall. The ground water resources have been further depleted because of increasing water demand for irrigation and drinking water and notified as “Dark Zone” by Central Ground Water Department. The shortage of water availability in the region only adds to the misery of the local rural communities. To tackle this issue, JICA is committed to work with the Government of Rajasthan to provide safe and adequate drinking water from the surface water source of Indira Gandhi Canal for Jhunjhunu District and Narmada Canal for the Barmer District, following the ongoing Phase 1 project which is scheduled to contribute to provide safe and adequate drinking water to more than 2.4 million people in the east part of Nagaur District in Rajasthan. Moreover, the project will contribute to SDGs’ Goal 3 and Goal 6: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” and “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. We hope that construction of drinking water facilities using the surface water as source will be helpful in reducing hardship borne by the local communities and improve the overall health and quality of life.”
The facilities constructed through this project will provide safe drinking water for approximately 110,000 households in Jhunjhunu district and more than 240,000 households in the desert district of Barmer, ensuring safe drinking water quality and sufficient amount to fulfil the demands of people for next 30 years.
Japan’s support to India’s Water and Sanitation sector consists of ODA loans of over 722 billion Japanese Yen (approximately INR* 48,000 crore). JICA has extended ODA loan for various projects in the state of Rajasthan, including Rajasthan Rural Water Supply and Fluorosis Mitigation Project in Nagaur district, Rajasthan Forestry and Biodiversity Project, Bisalpur Jaipur Water Supply Project, Rajasthan Minor Irrigation Improvement Project and Rajasthan Water Sector Livelihood Improvement Project. Dedicated Freight Corridor, which is the very backbone of Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor area development concept, will also run through Rajasthan State for boosting further industrial development and prosperity in Rajasthan.
*Exchange Rate: INR1/-=JPY 1.5/-