**Executive Summary**
The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation hosted the seventh edition of the multilingual ‘Sujal Gram Samvad’ on May 20, 2026, to reinforce community-led water governance under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0. The virtual dialogue emphasized local ownership and the sustainable Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of rural water supply assets. Key action items include the replication of transparency models across Gram Panchayats and the continued expansion of 24x7 water supply initiatives.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Event Objectives and Scale**
* The virtual Samvad facilitated interactions across six Gram Panchayat (GP) headquarters, involving approximately 4,000 digital participants including women, youth, and frontline functionaries.
* The dialogue was conducted in multiple regional languages (Rajasthani, Mizo, Garhwali, Kannada, Punjabi, and Hindi) to ensure inclusive engagement.
* The primary goal was to share best practices and challenges regarding the transition to sustainable, community-managed water systems.
**Operational and Maintenance (O&M) Models**
* Gram Panchayats are encouraged to take full ownership of O&M to ensure the long-term sustainability of water infrastructure.
* Participating GPs highlighted successful user-charge models, with collections ranging from ₹20 per month in Uttarakhand to ₹70 per month in Karnataka to fund repairs.
* Dedicated Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) are managing infrastructure, with an emphasis on regular chlorination and quick maintenance.
**Technological and Social Innovations**
* Utilization of digital platforms such as WhatsApp communities in Mizoram for water supply schedules and the ‘Jal Sarthi’ mobile app in Uttar Pradesh for real-time monitoring and grievance redressal.
* Empowerment of women through training in water quality testing at schools, Anganwadi centers, and households.
* Integration of traditional rainwater harvesting techniques, such as ‘Kund/Tanka’ in Rajasthan, to enhance source sustainability.
**Sustainability and Coverage Targets**
* Mizoram districts reported achieving 100 percent household tap water coverage under the mission.
* Karnataka has declared 260 villages as 24x7 water supply zones, with a target to expand this to 1,000 villages within the year.
* Ongoing river rejuvenation and ‘Jal Sanchay’ campaigns are being implemented to ensure water source reliability.
**Impact Analysis**
**Gram Panchayats (GPs) and Local Communities**
**Impact**
Communities are transitioning from passive beneficiaries to active owners of water assets, leading to reduced physical burdens for fetching water and improved service reliability.
**Action Required**
GPs must assume responsibility for O&M, establish functional VWSCs, and implement user-charge systems to fund infrastructure upkeep.
**Women and Frontline Workers**
**Impact**
Increased involvement in water governance and technical tasks, such as water quality testing, has enhanced female leadership and improved household convenience.
**Action Required**
Continue participating in training programs for water quality monitoring and participate in committee-led monitoring activities (e.g., Jal Seva Aankalan).
**District and State Administrations**
**Impact**
The role of administration has shifted toward providing technical support and oversight for increasingly complex, engineering-oriented rural water infrastructure.
**Action Required**
District officials must coordinate with GPs to address leakages, review source sustainability plans, and facilitate the replication of successful transparency models.
Key Entities Referenced
Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0: The national flagship program focused on community-led sustainable management of rural drinking water systems and providing household tap connections.
Sujal Gram Samvad: A multilingual virtual dialogue platform aimed at fostering community participation and sharing best practices for the operation and maintenance of rural water assets.
Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS): The primary department under the Ministry of Jal Shakti responsible for organizing the Samvad and overseeing rural water and sanitation initiatives.
Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs): Local community-led bodies tasked with the management, operation, and maintenance of village-level water supply infrastructure.
Har Ghar Jal: A government certification awarded to villages that successfully achieve 100 percent functional household tap water coverage.
Ministry of Jal Shakti
Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation
hosted the 7th edition of Sujal Gram Samvad
Community Participation, Local Ownership and O&M of Rural
Water Supply Assets are Emphasised at the Multilingual
dialogue
Posted On: 20 MAY 2026 7:17PM by PIB Delhi
The Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, successfully organised
the seventh edition of the multilingual ‘Sujal Gram Samvad’ today, reinforcing the government’s
commitment to community-led water governance under the Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0.
The virtual Samvad witnessed a diverse range of participants including Gram Panchayat (GP)
representatives, members of Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs), community participants,
Jal Sahiyas, Jal Bahinis, Jal Sakhis, Anganwadi workers, students, teachers, and frontline functionaries
from the GPs, along with JJM State Mission Directors, District Collectors/District Magistrates/Deputy
Commissioners, DWSM officials, and senior officers from the States.The Samvad was chaired by Shri Ashok K.K. Meena, Secretary, DDWS, in the presence of Shri D Senthil
Pandiyan, Joint Secretary, NJJM, along with Senior officers from the Department of Drinking Water and
Sanitation.
In his opening remarks, Secretary, DDWS, Shri Ashok K.K. Meena, emphasised Sujal Gram Samvad as
a platform to learn from Gram Panchayat’s experiences and challenges. He said the best practices shared
during the interaction can help other Gram Panchayats strengthen their own systems.
Shri Ashok K. K Meena highlighted that under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, the focus has shifted towards
community-led and sustainable management of rural drinking water systems. He noted that traditionally,
rural communities themselves managed their drinking water resources, and reiterated that reviving this
spirit of local ownership is essential for long-term sustainability. He asked the GPs and local communities
to take ownership of Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of village water supply systems to ensure
sustainable delivery of safe drinking water and mentioned that the district administrations should continue
supporting villages in managing increasingly engineering-oriented rural water infrastructure.
The Seventh edition of ‘Sujal Gram Samvad’ featured village-level interactions across 6 Gram
Panchayat headquartering villages. The initiative recorded around 4000 digital participations, including
women, children, youth, and elderly community members, reflecting strong engagement from both
communities and officials. This featured participation from the 6 state GPs, in languages such as
Rajasthani, Mizo, Garhwali, Kannada, Punjabi and Hindi. The Samvad proved to be unique as it brings a
communicative engagement in regional tone.
Voices from the Gram Panchayats
GP-Khandwa Patta, District-Churu, Rajasthan: Gram Panchayat representatives from Khandwa Patta
shared their experiences regarding the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission. They informed that tap
water is being supplied to households and the Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC) is fully
functional, with active participation of women members in maintaining in-village water supply assets. The
Panchayat also highlighted the construction of traditional ‘Kund/ Tanka’ for rainwater harvesting. They
mentioned that women from the village have been trained to conduct water quality testing at schools,
Anganwadi centres and households.Further, the district officials stated that efforts are being undertaken to address leakages in water supply
systems and strengthen O&M activities in coordination with GPs and the PHED. It was also highlighted
that the state is undertaking extensive water conservation and source sustainability efforts under the State’s
‘Jal Sanchay’ campaign and regular meetings of the District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) are
being conducted to review implementation and sustainability measures.
GP-Khamrang, District-Kolasib, Mizoram: The village representatives shared their experiences in the
Mizo language, highlighting the strong community-led approach adopted for sustainable implementation
of Jal Jeevan Mission in the village. The villagers informed that they remain connected through a
dedicated WhatsApp community, which is being actively used for communication regarding water supply
schedules, maintenance issues, community meetings and awareness activities related to drinking water
management. They also informed that regular chlorination, community-led monitoring and Jal Seva
Aankalan activities are being undertaken to ensure safe and sustainable drinking water supply.
Officials highlighted that both the district have achieved 100 percent household tap water coverage under
JJM and they are continuously working for the maintenance of the scheme by community ownership.
GP-Ghulekh, District-Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand: During the interaction with the village
representatives of GP Gulekh, it was informed that regular meetings are conducted at the community
level. Monthly ₹20 is collected as user charge by VWSC for purchasing repair materials and ensuring
quick maintenance of the system. Beneficiaries also shared that the availability of household tap
connections has significantly reduced the burden of fetching water from distant locations.
Shri Ashok Joshi, Chief Development Officer, Pauri Garhwal informed that the district has completed
multiple sanctioned schemes under JJM, despite challenging mountainous terrain and difficult water
source conditions. He further highlighted that through Spring and River Rejuvenation Authority (SARRA)
and solar supply-based schemes, water supply is ensured in the State. He also mentioned that continuous
DWSM is held both at district and state level.GP-Inahalli, District-Chitradurga, Karnataka: While interacting with the DDWS officials in the state
language Kannada, the village representatives shared their experiences regarding the successful
implementation of JJM. The scheme beneficiary mentioned that prior to implementation of JJM, the
village experienced irregular water supply and inequitable distribution due to direct pump usage and
unauthorised pipeline connections. Later, with meticulous planning, the Panchayat identified dependable
water sources and executed the construction of a new borewell, an overhead storage tank and a dedicated
pipeline network. They also mentioned that user contributions of ₹70 per household is being collected and
utilized for operation and maintenance.
The DWSM and SWSM officials highlighted that stable water sources, elimination of leakages and proper
utilization of JJM infrastructure have contributed significantly towards sustainability. It was further
emphasised that nearly 260 villages in the state have been declared as 24x7 water supply villages, with a
target of expanding the initiative to 1,000 villages during the year.
GP-Gill Kalan, District-Bathinda, Punjab: The village representatives shared their experiences in
Punjabi language, highlighting that regular and safe drinking water is being supplied to households and
that water quality in the village has significantly improved under the Mission. They also highlighted that
monthly review meetings are being conducted at the Gram Panchayat level to discuss water supply
management, O&M activities and issues related to service delivery.
Officials from the district and Dr. Syed Sehrish Asgar, Mission Director, JJM-Punjab highlighted the
community-led efforts being undertaken by the panchayat to ensure sustainable and reliable drinking
water service delivery under JJM in Bhatinda. They further highlighted that GP Gill Kalan shows activewoman participation under the scheme implementation and commended that the village will soon become
a ‘Model Village’ in the state.
GP-Tinhari Mafi, District-Banda, Uttar Pradesh: During the Samvad, the village representatives stated
that under the Mission, household tap connections have now been provided across the village, with regular
water supply being ensured during morning and evening hours. Beneficiaries shared that the availability of
tap water has substantially reduced the burden on women and improved overall convenience in daily life.
The CEO-ZP, Banda informed that surface water from the Yamuna and Ken rivers is being supplied
through large-scale schemes to villages across the district. He further highlighted that regular VWSC
meetings, district-level reviews and water conservation initiatives, including ponds, bunding and farm
ponds under various schemes, are being undertaken to strengthen sustainability.
Shri Pravash Kumar, Executive Director, State Water and Sanitation Mission (SWSM), Uttar Pradesh
informed that several villages in Banda district have already achieved ‘Har Ghar Jal’ certification and
highlighted the development of source sustainability plans, river rejuvenation efforts and the launch of the
‘Jal Sarthi’ mobile application for real-time water supply monitoring and grievance redressal across the
State.In his concluding remark and way forward, AS & MD, NJJM, Shri Kamal Kishore Soan, expressed
appreciation to Gram Panchayat representatives, district administrations and State governments for their
continued efforts towards strengthening community-led rural drinking water management under JJM 2.0.
He encouraged continued efforts to expand such best practices and bring more Panchayats on board, so
that similar models of transparency, community engagement and accountability can be replicated at gram
panchayat level.
The Samvad started by setting the context and sharing objective by Shri D Senthil Pandiyan, Joint
Secretary, NJJM. He said that the Samvad aims to listen village communities, understand their experiences
and learn local practices on O&M, and source sustenance.
***
AMK/AK
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