Before There Was Jal Jeevan, There Was Raksha Bandhan

Himachal Pradesh since its present formation in 1967 has distinguished itself with significant progress on the human development indices unlike several hill states, even Himalayan countries, on many fronts. The state scores well on several indices. It is just behind Kerala on the Sustainable Development Goals Index of NITI Aayog for the year 2020. It has an 82.80% Literacy rate, which is well ahead of the national average at 74%. The district hospitals in the state successfully meet the requirement of the necessary ratio on a per lakh basis. While there are genuine concerns around the public debt and the high unemployment rate, by and large the state performs rather well on most socio-economic indicators.

However, that was not the case at the time of the birth of the present Himachal Pradesh state. Remotely situated populations, lack of income for people and widespread poverty and abysmal education and healthcare facilities had created a situation that if not addressed suitably would have created a situation of mass migration similar to what neighbouring Uttarakhand would have achieved. However, to the credit of some visionary leaders across political parties, it was a fear that was tackled head on. While many rightfully remember Dr. Y S Parmar, the first Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh and the driving force behind the state’s formation, the role played by his successors was no less for sure. 

Shanta Kumar in Captivity During Emergency 

One particular name to mention is Shanta Kumar. His terms as Chief Minister of the state were unfortunately eclipsed forever by the controversy of the police firing on apple farmers in Kotgarh that set back the BJP for a long time in the upper Himachal region. Time may perhaps re-evaluate his work though, having led the 1977 Janata Party campaign to a thumping win in Himachal at the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha levels. His speeches about the ‘jailon ki chaabiyan’ coming into the hands of the opposition to ensure that all opposition victims of Emergency related excesses had roused the people to rally behind the Janata Party at his beck and call, eventually compelling the party to make him the state’s Chief Minister. Despite the various attempts at interference and poking by dissidents and factions that plagued his first government, there was one step taken by him that forever changed the landscape of Himachal Pradesh.

Many people today see the impact of the Jal Jeevan Mission, creating waves in the state of Himachal Pradesh. With a coverage of over 94%, the near saturation in the state is another feather in the cap despite the geographical challenges. However, few remember that even before August 2019, when Jal Jeevan Mission was launched, the state had nearly half its state provided with household level tap water connections, while every village had functional water connections that served their needs satisfactorily. The seeds of this rather impressive achievement despite the previous efforts’ lethargy were actually laid by Shanta Kumar who, as the Chief Minister of the state, had dared to undertake what was seen as a near impossibility - taking water to the people of the state. 

Shanta Kumar Meeting an unwell Jayprakash Narayan

What was the trigger? In his writings, Shanta Kumar recalls how during his first stint he was reminded by his administrative staff of the holiday for Raksha Bandhan. Shanta Kumar remarked how he had been jailed during the Emergency, and his sister had been unwell, eventually passing away without him having been able to achieve much. However, it triggered him to remember how so many women suffered every day in the state for a variety of reasons, prime among which was the problem of drinking water. That inspired Shanta Kumar to decide that he would work to realise his dream of helping the people of the state in every way possible. He addressed the state on Raksha Bandhan that year in 1977 and promised to his sisters of Himachal Pradesh:

“My dear sisters of Himachal! On this day of Raksha Bandhan, I am coming to you with this present - I would get water taps installed in your houses very soon. These vessels of water weighing down on your heads would soon be a thing of the past.”

And indeed, he undertook several reforms in the state administration with immediate effect to ensure the realisation of this dream. For the first time ever, the Public Works Department was bifurcated to create a drinking water department that would specifically look at this move. Having made drinking water the number one priority of the development plan, Shanta Kumar personally supervised the department and set extensive targets to achieve the goal. From getting bureaucrats to deliver to ensuring that symbolically ensuring that the poorest woman in a beneficiary village would get to fill water from the new tap first, Shanta Kumar personally ensured that the effort was a people’s movement in every sense, and not reduced to yet another government scheme that got buried under the files. Such was the impact that the Planning Commission of the time that even it was compelled to accept its success and suggested replicating it in other states.

And the impact was significant - within two and a half years, the Shanta Kumar government had given tap water connections to 3,000 villages. In contrast, till 1977 only 2,000 villages had that privilege. Had the Congress not engineered defections in 1980 and let his government continue in peace, Shanta Kumar’s government would have ensured a significant cover. Such was the impact of this scheme that wherever Shanta Kumar went, he would be referred to by the nickname Pani Wala Mukhya Mantri or Pani Wale Baba. Much like his Antyodaya Yojana that came in later, Shanta Kumar had undertaken extensive efforts to ensure that the scheme gained a life of his own, and in his autobiography he also expressed satisfaction on how successive governments did not, to their credit, discontinue or stall this initiative ever. 

Looking back at these events, is there perhaps a better Raksha Bandhan gift that a Chief Minister could have given to his sisters of his state?