Delhi, Nov 12 Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil on Thursday urged states to make concerted efforts to complete the remaining works under the Jal Jeevan Mission by December 2027, wherever feasible, ahead of the approved deadline of December 2028.
Addressing the first regional conference on Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, Patil stressed the need to shift the focus from infrastructure creation to assured and sustainable drinking water service delivery.
He said the conference was a follow-up to the Departmental Summit on Water held on September 1-2 to translate its decisions into concrete action at the state, district and village levels.
Highlighting the Mission’s progress since its launch in 2019, Patil said household tap water connections had reached approximately 16 crore rural households, significantly improving the lives of rural communities, particularly women.
He underscored the need for states to implement structural reforms relating to operation and maintenance (O&M), institutional accountability and long-term functionality of rural water supply systems.
The minister reiterated the Centre’s commitment to providing financial support for eligible works, subject to fulfilment of prescribed reform conditions.
Emphasising water security, he called for greater attention to groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting and community-led water conservation.
Referring to Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari, he urged states to strengthen inter-departmental convergence and involve communities in source sustainability measures.
The two-day conference, being held on November 12-13, brings together representatives from seven southern states and Union Territories — Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry and Lakshadweep.
Tamil Nadu Minister N Anand, who holds the portfolios of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, and Water Resources, highlighted the state’s initiatives relating to O&M, periodic cleaning of overhead tanks, community-based water quality testing and collection of water service charges.
DDWS Secretary Ashok K K Meena said the Tiruchirappalli conference was the first in a series of five regional conferences aimed at translating the outcomes of the September summit into actionable measures.
He identified source sustainability, financial sustainability, skilled local workforce and strengthened Gram Panchayat-led governance as key priorities, besides highlighting digital platforms such as Sujalam Bharat.
Kamal Kishore Soan, Additional Secretary and Mission Director of the National Jal Jeevan Mission, stressed effective field-level implementation, regular assessment of drinking water sources and sustainable financing for O&M. He also called for effective utilisation of Finance Commission grants and strengthening Gram Panchayat own-source revenue.
The conference discussed convergence with tribal development initiatives, including PM-JANMAN and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, and opportunities under VB-G RAM G for water conservation and groundwater recharge.
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj highlighted the role of Gram Panchayats in O&M financing and integrating drinking water requirements into their development plans.
The National Institute of Ocean Technology showcased its indigenous Low Temperature Thermal Desalination technology, with eight plants established in Lakshadweep, and an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion project integrating renewable energy generation with desalination.
(PTI News)
