India, Aug. 11 -- The Government of India has issued a release:
The Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, organised the 11th edition of the District Collectors' Peyjal Samvad today through video conferencing, bringing together senior officials, District Collectors/ District Magistrates/ Deputy Commissioner, 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 SWSM and DDWS were also present during the Samvad.
Addressing the occasion, Shri Ashok K.K. Meena, Secretary, DDWS, emphasized the pivotal role of DWSM as the primary institutional mechanism and urged districts to conduct regular monthly meetings and upload meeting proceedings on the JJM IMIS portal. He also called upon districts to leverage the Decision Support System (DSS) for scientific assessment of source sustainability. Highlighting the importance of water conservation during the monsoon season, he encouraged districts to intensify the "Catch the Rain - Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari" campaign through active participation of Gram Panchayats, VWSCs, Self-Help Groups, schools, colleges and community institutions to promote rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and long-term water security.
He urged districts to expedite Jal Arpan ceremonies for completed schemes after the prescribed commissioning process and mandatory trial run, enabling formal handover of assets to GPs. Noting that over 2 lakh villages and more than 1 lakh GPs across the country have achieved Har Ghar Jal certification which should now be translated into sustained community-led management of rural water supply systems. He also emphasized convergence with programmes such as VB-G RAM G for source sustainability and greywater management, effective utilization of 16th Finance Commission tied grants for water and sanitation, and collection of user charges at the GP level to support O&M of village water supply infrastructure.
DDWS also had a detailed presentation on "Sujalam Shakti" implementation roadmap, which focuses on establishing women-led village support groups to strengthen water quality monitoring, community participation and source sustainability.
The progress and best practices of four selected districts, Uttara Kannda (Karnataka), Khowai (Tripura), Didwana Kuchaman (Rajasthan), and Chatra (Jharkhand) were also presented by the respective District Collectors/District Magistrates to facilitate cross-learning and support other districts in strengthening implementation under JJM 2.0.
Innovative Best Practices shared by Four Districts through Presentations by the respective District Collector/ District Magistrate/ Deputy Commissioner
In his concluding remarks, Shri Kamal Kishore Soan, AS&MD, NJJM, emphasized the critical role of regular DWSM meetings, district dashboards, and District Technical Units (DTUs) in strengthening planning, monitoring, and service delivery. He urged District Collectors to leverage data-driven decision-making, ensure effective functioning of DTUs, and promote capacity building through convergence with RSETIs, SRLMs, and Skill Development. He also highlighted the importance of training women under Sujalam Shakti and strengthening local technical capacities to ensure long-term sustainability of rural water supply services.
These presentations showcased achievements, mitigating steps taken for challenges and best practices under JJM underlining the diversity of approaches adopted to accelerate progress for achieving Har Ghar Jal.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
