India's water sector is currently experiencing one of the most ambitious programs in history, thanks to the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). These two flagship initiatives are aimed at providing clean water and sanitation to all of India's citizens, with the government committing over $240 billion in investments in the coming years. As a result, the water sector in India is experiencing unprecedented growth and presents significant business opportunities.
One of the primary goals of the SBM is to eradicate open defecation, which significantly impacts water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). In 2015, nearly half of India's population suffered from the indignity of defecating in public spaces due to a lack of access to toilets. However, according to the latest estimates, the number of people without access to toilets has reduced significantly by an estimated 450 million people. This tremendous achievement is only possible because of the Government's flagship program, the SBM.
To accelerate efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and put the focus on sanitation, the Prime Minister of India launched the Swachh Bharat Mission in 2014. Under the mission, all villages, Gram Panchayats, Districts, States, and Union Territories in India declared themselves "open-defecation free" (ODF) by constructing over 100 million toilets in rural India. To ensure that open defecation-free behaviors are sustained, no one is left behind, and that solid and liquid waste management facilities are accessible, the Mission is moving towards the next Phase II of SBMG, i.e., ODF-Plus.
Jal Jeevan Mission, on the other hand, aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India. Since the beginning of the mission in 2019, India has provided 84 million homes with tap water connections. However, the majority of states are still below 50% of households with tap water connections. Over 70% of India's 1.1 billion population lives in rural areas, which makes the challenge of extending coverage of tap water and sanitation to such a large population even larger.
To achieve the objectives of the Jal Jeevan Mission, the program will implement source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through greywater management, water conservation, and rainwater harvesting. The program will be based on a community approach to water and will include extensive Information, Education, and Communication as a key component of the mission. The Jal Jeevan Mission looks to create a jan andolan for water, thereby making it everyone's priority.
The significant investment in the water sector by the Indian Government is not just limited to the SBM and the JJM. The country is implementing the largest dam rehabilitation program globally to build climate resilience critical water storage infrastructure. Additionally, due to the country's unique geography, India is among the largest users of groundwater in the world. Furthermore, the ambitious National Mission for Clean Ganga or Namami Gange has been recently recognized by the UN Convention of Biodiversity conference COP15 held at Montreal as one of the top 10 World Restoration Flagships to revive the natural world.
These ambitious water programs in India offer enormous business opportunities for companies that are specialized in water treatment, waste management, and related fields. With an investment of over $240 billion, India is demonstrating its commitment to the water sector, making it an attractive destination for businesses looking to enter new markets.
The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) have already achieved significant progress in providing access to clean water and sanitation facilities in rural areas, but there is still a long way to go. The majority of states in India are still below 50% of households with tap water connection, and many rural communities lack access to basic sanitation facilities.
Companies that can provide innovative and sustainable solutions for water treatment, distribution, and waste management will find ample opportunities in India. These businesses can partner with the government, start-ups, and water-user associations to implement these solutions, creating a win-win situation for all stakeholders. In addition, the government's National Mission for Clean Ganga and the largest dam rehabilitation program in the world offer further opportunities for companies specializing in these areas.
India's water sector presents a vast and largely untapped market with enormous potential for growth. From GATC we encourage interested companies to contact us to explore how they can enter the Indian market and be part of the country's ambitious water programs.
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