Community participation key to sustainable rural water supply: Jal shakti ministry

Community participation, local ownership and sustainable operation and maintenance of rural water supply infrastructure were emphasised during the seventh edition of the multilingual ''Sujal Gram Samvad'' organised by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti on Wednesday.

The virtual interaction, organised under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 framework, brought together gram panchayat representatives, village water and sanitation committees (VWSCs), jal sahiyas, jal bahinis, jal sakhis, anganwadi workers, teachers, students and frontline workers, along with state and district officials from across the country, according to an official statement.

The event was chaired by DDWS Secretary Ashok K K Meena. National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM) Joint Secretary D Senthil Pandiyan and senior officials of the department were also present.

Meena said the initiative serves as a platform to understand the experiences and challenges of gram panchayats and share best practices that can help strengthen rural drinking water systems in other villages.

Highlighting the focus of the Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, he said sustainable rural water management depends on reviving the spirit of community-led ownership.

He urged gram panchayats and local communities to take responsibility for the operation and maintenance of village water supply systems to ensure uninterrupted delivery of safe drinking water.

The ministry said around 4,000 people participated digitally in the event, which featured interactions with six gram panchayats from Rajasthan, Mizoram, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh in regional languages, including Rajasthani, Mizo, Garhwali, Kannada, Punjabi and Hindi.

Representatives from Khandwa Patta village in Rajasthan's Churu district highlighted active participation of women in maintaining water supply assets and conducting water quality testing, along with the use of traditional rainwater harvesting structures, such as ''kund'' and ''tanka''.

In Khamrang village in Mizoram's Kolasib district, community members said a dedicated WhatsApp group is being used for coordination on water-supply schedules, maintenance issues and awareness activities related to drinking-water management.

Officials said the district has achieved 100 per cent household tap water coverage under the JJM.

Villagers from the Ghulekh gram panchayat in Uttarakhand's Pauri Garhwal district said household tap connections have reduced the burden of fetching water, while VWSCs collect a monthly user charge of Rs 20 for repairs and maintenance.

Additional Secretary and Mission Director, NJJM, Kamal Kishore Soan appreciated the efforts of gram panchayats, district administrations and state governments in strengthening community-led rural drinking water management and called for the replication of such models across more villages.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)