India, Oct. 15 -- The Government of India has issued a release:
The Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, organised the 13th edition of the District Collectors' Peyjal Samvad today through video conferencing, bringing together senior officials, District Collectors/ District Magistrates, and Mission Directors of State/UTs to deliberate on accelerating the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 and sharing of best practices.
The Samvad was chaired by Shri Ashok K.K. Meena, Secretary, DDWS. Shri Kamal Kishore Soan, Additional Secretary & Mission Director, National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM), and Senior Officers from DDWS were also present during the Samvad.
In his opening remarks, Shri Ashok K.K. Meena, Secretary, DDWS, said that this platform has emerged as an important platform for peer learning, enabling district administrations to share innovative practices and address implementation challenges in rural drinking water service delivery. He emphasised the pivotal role of District Collectors in strengthening local water governance, ensuring effective operation and maintenance of rural water supply systems, and promoting community ownership of assets created under the Mission.
Secretary, DDWS calls for Greater Accountability and Data-Driven Governance. He directed districts to ensure regular monthly meetings of District Water and Sanitation Missions (DWSMs) and timely uploading of meeting minutes on the DWSM Portal. He stressed that strong institutional monitoring and documentation are essential for transparency, accountability and effective programme implementation.
Highlighting the findings from Jal Seva Aankalan, Shri Meena urged districts to regularly review functionality assessment reports and district improvement plans available on the dashboard. He noted that water quality and energy-related disruptions continue to affect service delivery in many areas and called upon States and districts to explore solarisation of rural water supply schemes for improving reliability and operational efficiency.
He also emphasised the effective utilisation of the Decision Support System (DSS), which integrates groundwater, rainfall, hydrological and Jal Jeevan Mission data. He encouraged district administrations to use the platform for evidence-based planning, identification of water-stressed areas, source sustainability planning and prioritisation of interventions.
Referring to the integration of drinking water sustainability efforts with other national initiatives, he urged districts to leverage convergence opportunities under VB-G RAM G and other programmes to undertake groundwater recharge, source protection and water conservation measures in vulnerable areas.
Secretary also emphasised that following the formal handover of drinking water supply schemes through Jal Arpan, the districts to retain the certificates in their respective local languages through Jal Arpan Module.
Shri Kamal Kishore Soan, AS&MD, NJJM, in his address underscored the importance of strengthening grassroots institutions for long-term sustainability of rural drinking water systems. He highlighted the need for systematic training and capacity building of Gram Panchayats, Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs), Panchayat Secretaries and Sujalam Shakti Groups to support operation and maintenance of drinking water infrastructure.
He emphasised that district administrations should encourage greater utilisation of the DSS platform, strengthen source sustainability planning in water-stressed areas and ensure convergence with ongoing rural development initiatives and VB-G RAM G to protect drinking water sources.
Shri Soan also encouraged districts to provide exposure visits for higher-secondary and senior school students to multi-village water supply schemes, water treatment facilities, laboratories and SCADA-enabled systems so that young citizens develop a deeper understanding of water infrastructure and water conservation.
Shri Y.K. Singh, Director (NJJM), made a presentation on the Jal Arpan module, highlighting its importance in ensuring the formal commissioning and handover of rural drinking water supply schemes to Gram Panchayats and communities. He explained the key stages of Jal Arpan preparedness, the reporting and monitoring framework through the DTU/DWSSM dashboard, and the digital workflow for Jal Arpan and Har Ghar Jal certification on the Gram Panchayat dashboard, while providing guidance on the step-by-step process for reporting and certification through the online module.
Innovative Best Practices Shared by Districts Through Presentations
During the Peyjal Samvad, a total of five districts presented their progress and best field practices which will further help other State's districts to develop better under JJM 2.0. Each presentation was delivered by the respective District Collector/ District Magistrate.
These presentations showcased achievements, ongoing challenges, and best practices under JJM underlining the diversity of approaches adopted to accelerate progress under Har Ghar Jal.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
