: 10.56472/25835238/IRJEMS-V5I1P119Dr. Chayanika Boruah, Dr. Biraj Jyoti Kalita, Anshul Kumar, Dr. Bikash Nath, Dr. Sumit Kr. Sarma, Kasturi Borgohain. "Performance Evaluation of Jal Jeevan Mission: Evidence of Poverty Reduction, Health-Hygiene Improvement, and Gender Outcomes Among the Tea Garden Workers from Golaghat District of Assam" International Research Journal of Economics and Management Studies, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 155-171, 2026. Crossref. http://doi.org/10.56472/25835238/IRJEMS-V5I1P119
Despite being historically marginalized, the tea garden community plays a vital role in the economy of Assam. These people are exposed to structural poverty, lack of basic sanitation facilities, and poor health-hygiene conditions. The women and children are significantly affected by these outcomes. The Government of India’s visionary initiative, Jal Jeevan Mission, appears to be a promising effort to address these issues. This paper attempts to evaluate the performance of the Jal Jeevan Mission in reducing poverty, improving health and hygiene conditions, and gender-related outcomes among the tea garden workers of Khumtai Tea Estate in Golaghat District, Assam. Our analysis is based on primary field survey data. The analysis shows that JJM has emerged as a significant force in improving water access and infrastructure among these people. In terms of health-hygiene, poverty, and gender outcomes, the positive impact of JJM can’t be ignored. However, ensuring service reliability, effective maintenance, inclusive access, and active community engagement is critical for tap connections to achieve their intended health, livelihood, and gender equity outcomes in plantation regions.
[1] Functionality Assessment of Household Tap Connection under National Jal Jeevan Mission – (2022). State Report- Assam. KANTAR PUBLIC.
[2] Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. (n.d.). JJM dashboard: Status of tap water supply in rural households. e-Jal Shakti. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from https://ejalshakti.gov.in/jjmreport/JJMIndia.aspx
[3] Dey, A. (2018). Tea environments and plantation culture: Imperial disarray in eastern India. Cambridge University Press.
[4] Government of India. (2018). NSS report no.584: Drinking Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Housing Condition in India, NSS 76th Round (July - December 2018). In M. o. S. P. I. Government of India (Ed.). India.
[5] Government of India. (2018). National water quality monitoring report 2018. Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. https://mowr.gov.in/sites/default/files/NWQMR2018.pdf
[6] Hall, R. P., Van Koppen, B., & Van Houweling, E. (2014). The human right to water: The importance of domestic and productive water rights. Science and Engineering Ethics, 20(4), 849–868. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-013-9499-3
[7] Industries & Commerce, Government of Assam. (n.d.). About the tea industry. https://industries.assam.gov.in/portlet-innerpage/about-tea-industries
[8] Kasongamulilo, H. S. (2013). Gender and water management: Its implications on women empowerment (Master’s thesis, University of Zambia). University of Zambia Repository. http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/8717/
[9] Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India. (2022). Functionality assessment of household tap connections under Jal Jeevan Mission: Assam. Government of India. https://jaljeevanmission.gov.in/sites/default/files/2022-10/functionlity-report-assam.pdf
[10] Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India. (2024). Functionality assessment of household tap connections under Jal Jeevan Mission: Assam. Government of India. https://jaljeevanmission.gov.in/sites/default/files/2022-10/functionlity-report-assam.pdf
[11] Misra, P., & Paunikar, V. M. (2023). Healthy drinking water as a necessity in developing countries like India: A narrative review. Cureus, 15(10), e47247. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.47247
[12] Naik, N. (2024). Empowering women: Is water the biggest hurdle for women's empowerment? Synergy Connect. https://synergyconnect.in/empowering-women-is-water-the-biggest-hurdle-for-women-empowerment/
[13] Namara, R. E., Hanjra, M. A., Castillo, G. E., Ravnborg, H. M., Smith, L., & Van Koppen, B. (2010). Agricultural water management and poverty linkages. Agricultural Water Management, 97(4), 520–527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2009.05.007
[14] Nath, Bikash (2016). Tea Plantation Workers of Assam and the Indian National Movement,1921-1947, New Delhi: Primus Books
[15] Paul, M. (2023). Unsafe WASH behind 395,000 deaths of children under 5 in 2019: WHO report. Down To Earth. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/water/unsafe-wash-behind-395-000-deaths-of-children-under-5-in-2019-who-report-90345
[16] Regional Resource Centre for North Eastern States. (n.d.). Phase II RRC‑NE: Tea garden survey report. National Health Mission, Assam. https://nhm.assam.gov.in/sites/default/files/swf_utility_folder/departments/nhm_lipl_in_oid_6/menu/document/Phase_II_RRC_NE.pdf
[17] Soussan, J., Noel, S., Harlin, J., & Schmidt, S. (2006). Linking poverty reduction and water management (Report). Poverty‑Environment Partnership (PEP).
[18] State Innovation and Transformation Aayog (SITA), Government of Assam. (2020). Report on Tea Industry of Assam. https://sita.assam.gov.in/sites/default/files/swf_utility_folder/departments/sita_medhassu_in_oid_4/portlet/level_1/files/report_on_tea_industry_of_assam.pdf
[19] Tiwari, A. (2020). Political economy of water. Rawat Publications.
[20] UNICEF. (2016). Over 300,000 children under five died from diarrhoeal diseases linked to limited access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene in 2015 – UNICEF. UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/turkiye/en/node/2296
[21] UNICEF Office for Assam and North East States. (2022). WASH situation analysis in tea estates of Assam. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). https://www.unicef.org/india/media/8981/file/WASH%20Situational%20Analysis%20in%20Tea%20Gardens%20in%20Assam%20.pdf
[22] United Nations. (n.d.). Sustainable Development Goals. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/goals
[23] Veda, A (2024). Assam Empowers Tea Gardens with Clean Water Access. BOROK TIMES.
[24] World Health Organization. (2023). Burden of disease attributable to unsafe drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene, 2019 update. World Health Organization. https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/b6e80a48-7ed9-464e-a891-e99174f680ca/content
[25] World Health Organization. (2023). Drinking-water. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water
[26] Wolf, J., Johnston, R. B., Ambelu, A., Arnold, B. F., Bain, R., Brauer, M., ... & Cumming, O. (2023). Burden of disease attributable to unsafe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene in domestic settings: a global analysis for selected adverse health outcomes. The Lancet, 401(10393), 2060-2071. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00458-0
Jal Jeevan Mission, Women, Poverty, Development, Marginalization, Gender, Health, Tea Plantation.