India, July 14 -- The Government of India has issued a release:
The Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, organised the 10th edition of the District Collectors' Peyjal Samvad today through video conferencing, bringing together Senior Officials, District Collectors/Deputy Commissioners and Mission Directors of State/UTs to deliberate on accelerating the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 for strengthening sustainable rural drinking water service delivery through community participation. 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 other Senior officers from DDWS, also participated.
Shri Ashok K.K. Meena, Secretary, DDWS, in his inaugural address said that Jal Jeevan Mission has entered a new phase where the focus has shifted from infrastructure creation to assured and sustainable rural piped water service delivery through community-led governance (Jan Bhagidari).
Emphasising the need to strengthen community ownership, Shri Ashok K.K. Meena called upon States and districts to accelerate the certification of Har Ghar Jal (HGJ) Gram Panchayats (GPs) and institutionalise Jal Arpan as an annual community-led event in every Gram Panchayat to celebrate and reinforce local ownership of rural water supply systems. Highlighting water service delivery, he noted that over 1.17 lakh activities have already been executed nationwide under the Jal Seva Aankalan. He emphasised that the operation and maintenance (O&M) of rural water supply systems and the assets created under the Mission, must now be maintained by Gram Panchayats and Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs).
Speaking on the growing role of digital technologies in water governance, the Secretary directed State and District officials to ensure digital mapping of all rural water supply assets, from source to tap, through Sujalam Bharat Digital Registry, integrated with the PM Gati Shakti portal. He further emphasised that all water supply assets should be geo-tagged to strengthen planning, monitoring, preventive maintenance and evidence-based decision-making.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Kamal Kishore Soan, Additional Secretary & Mission Director, NJJM, emphasised the critical role of district administrations in translating the objectives of JJM 2.0 into measurable outcomes to ensure the availability of safe drinking water in rural areas. He highlighted that sustained service delivery, source sustainability, community participation and technology-driven monitoring will be the defining pillars of the Mission going forward. He urged District Collectors to strengthen convergence across departments, regularly review implementation and promote innovation, along with proper mapping of HGJ assets to ensure long-term functionality of rural drinking water systems.
In the Peyjal Samvad the important role of 16th Finance Commission Grants for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) in strengthening the sustainability of rural drinking water and sanitation services was highlighted through a detailed presentation. The progress and best practices of five selected districts, Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh), Haveri (Karnataka), Dumka (Jharkhand), South Goa (Goa) and Unakoti (Tripura), 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 Five Districts through Presentations by the respective District Collector/ District Magistrate
In his concluding address, Shri Kamal Kishore Soan, Additional Secretary & Mission Director, NJJM, commended the innovative approaches implemented by districts and underscored that the success of JJM 2.0 depends on the proactive leadership of District Collectors in mobilising community-led governance. The Peyjal Samvad successfully 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.
