**Executive Summary**
On March 17, 2026, the Ministry of Jal Shakti signed reform-linked Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0. This follows the Union Cabinet's approval of the Mission’s extended phase on March 10, 2026, aiming to drive structural reforms for sustainable rural water delivery. The Mission has been extended until December 2028 with an enhanced outlay to ensure functional, long-term water security for all rural households.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Structural Reform Areas**
* The MoUs mandate the implementation of 11 key structural reform areas, including governance architecture, service utility frameworks, and technical compliance.
* Focus is placed on digital data governance, research and innovation, and creating a human resource and skilling ecosystem.
* The reforms aim to transition to a service-based, community-centered model of rural water governance.
**Governance and Operations**
* **Jal Arpan:** Completed piped water supply schemes must be formally handed over to Gram Panchayats or Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs).
* **Decision Support System (DSS):** A digital planning platform developed by DDWS will be operationalized at District and Gram Panchayat (GP) levels for source sustainability.
* **Jal Seva Aankalan:** GPs are required to record service delivery responses and share outcomes with citizens via the "Meri Panchayat" application.
**Standards and Sustainability**
* Adherence to a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption, emphasizing transparency and accountability in all works.
* Implementation of a "Source Sustainability and Water Security Framework" to ensure long-term functionality of assets.
* Target of achieving 24x7 drinking water supply in rural regions, specifically addressing water-stressed areas in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
**Community Engagement**
* **Jan Bhagidari:** Strengthening community participation in the operation and maintenance of water supply systems.
* **Jal Utsav:** An annual three-tier campaign comprising national (Jal Mahotsav), state (Rajya Jal Utsav), and local (Lok Jal Utsav) events to celebrate the cultural significance of water.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments (Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh)**
* **Impact:** These states are now formally linked to a national reform agenda that ties implementation to specific structural improvements in governance and service delivery.
* **Action Required:** Adhere to strict quality standards, ensure timely execution of schemes, and implement the 11 mandated structural reform areas.
**Gram Panchayats / Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs)**
* **Impact:** They are empowered as the primary leads in the rural water governance model, gaining ownership of completed water schemes.
* **Action Required:** Take over piped water schemes through the "Jal Arpan" process and conduct regular service delivery assessments using digital tools.
**Rural Households (Specifically Women and Girls)**
* **Impact:** Improved access to safe, adequate drinking water will reduce physical drudgery and enhance living standards.
* **Action Required:** Participate in the governance process through "Jan Bhagidari" and engage in local "Jal Utsav" activities.
**Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for providing the digital infrastructure and oversight for the national reform-linked implementation.
* **Action Required:** Support states in operationalizing the Decision Support System (DSS) and monitoring progress through the "Meri Panchayat" application.
Key Entities Referenced
Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0: The extended phase of the national mission aimed at driving structural reforms for sustainable and accountable rural drinking water service delivery until December 2028.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The primary central ministry responsible for overseeing the implementation of rural drinking water governance and the signing of reform-linked MoUs.
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh: The states central to this policy announcement that have signed formal agreements to implement the reform-linked phase of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS): The nodal department under the Ministry of Jal Shakti responsible for executing the mission and operationalizing digital platforms like the Decision Support System (DSS).
Ministry of Jal Shakti
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Signed Reform-
Linked MoUs under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0
Centre and States join hands to drive structural reforms for
sustainable, accountable rural drinking water service delivery
Posted On: 17 MAR 2026 6:30PM by PIB Delhi
In a landmark step towards strengthening rural drinking water governance, Memorandum of
Understanding (MoUs) under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 were signed with the States of Rajasthan and
Madhya Pradesh, marking the formal launch of reform-linked implementation under the extended phase of
the Mission which was approved by the union cabinet on 10th March 2026.
The MoU with the State of Rajasthan was signed in forenoon, in the presence of Union Minister of Jal
Shakti, Shri C. R. Paatil, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Bhajan Lal Sharma, and Minister of State,
Ministry of Jal Shakti, Shri V. Somanna. The ceremony was also attended by Shri Kanhaiya Lal
Choudhary, Minister, PHED, Rajasthan, along with senior officials from the Centre and the State
Government.
The MoU with the State of Madhya Pradesh was signed at 3.00 pm in the presence of Union Minister of
Jal Shakti, Shri C. R. Paatil, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Mohan Yadav, who joined the event
through video conferencing. Shri V. Somanna, Minister of State, Ministry of Jal Shakti, and Smt.
Sampatiya Uikey, Minister, PHED, Madhya Pradesh, along with senior officials from the State
Government, was also present during the signing of MoU.Senior officials from the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), including Shri Ashok K.
K. Meena, Secretary, DDWS, Shri Kamal Kishore Soan, Additional Secretary & Mission Director, NJJM
along with senior officials from DDWS and PHED Rajasthan and Jal Nigam, Madhya Pradesh were
present during the MoU signing.
For Rajasthan the MoUs was signed and exchanged between Smt. Swati Meena Naik, Joint Secretary
(Water), DDWS, and Shri Akhil Arora, Additional Chief Secretary, PHED Rajasthan.
For Madhya Pradesh it was signed and exchanged between Smt. Swati Meena Naik, Joint Secretary
(Water), DDWS, and Shri P. Narahari, Principal Secretary, PHED Madhya Pradesh.Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C. R.Paatil, referring to recent Parliamentary
deliberations, reiterated that the Union Government follows a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption
and emphasized that quality, transparency and accountability must guide all works undertaken under Jal
Jeevan Mission and urged both States to ensure strict adherence to quality standards so that assets created
remain functional and sustainable over the long term.
Highlighting the diverse water management challenges across States, including Rajasthan’s water scarcity
and the varied hydro-geological conditions of Madhya Pradesh, in his address Shri Paatil appreciated both
States for their proactive leadership in signing the reform-linked MoUs and said that this reflects the
importance of drinking water for the people and the strong commitment of State Governments towards
ensuring water security.
While Addressing, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C. R. Paatil, emphasised the importance of timely
and quality execution, stating that effective implementation under the Jal Jeevan Mission would
significantly reduce the drudgery of women and girls, particularly in water-stressed and rural regions such
as Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, while ensuring reliable and safe drinking water services for all.
Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Bhajan Lal Sharma, stated the State’s commitment for effective
implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission and assured that Rajasthan would uphold the confidence placed in it
through timely execution and strict adherence to the structural reforms envisaged under JJM 2.0, with a
focus on quality works, institutional strengthening and long-term sustainability of rural drinking water
systems in alignment with the national reform framework.
Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Mohan Yadav, affirmed the State Government’s commitment to
aligning with the national reform agenda under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 and ensuring effective
implementation of the structural reforms and also stated that Madhya Pradesh would adhere to the
conditions outlined in the reform-linked MoU, prioritising strengthened governance systems, improved
service delivery mechanisms, achieving the aspiration of 24×7 drinking water supply, and ensuring the
long-term sustainability of rural drinking water supply schemes.
The MoU covers implementation of 11 key structural reform areas, aimed at strengthening governance,
institutional capacity and long-term sustainability of rural drinking water systems, including:
Institutional Architecture for Drinking Water Governance
Service Utility Framework for Rural Water Supply
Technical Compliance and Efficient Scheme Implementation
Citizen-Centric Water Quality Governance
Source Sustainability and Water Security Framework
Digital Data Governance in Rural Drinking Water SystemsParticipatory Governance through Jan Bhagidari
Capacity Building Framework
Human Resource and Skilling Ecosystem
Operational and Financial Sustainability of Water Supply Schemes
Research, Innovation and Knowledge Ecosystem
The reform-linked MoU mandates a Gram Panchayat-led, service-based and community-centered model
of rural water governance. As a key condition of MoU, completed piped water supply schemes shall be
formally handed over to Gram Panchayats/ VWSCs and community through “Jal Arpan” process.
The MoU also provisioned to operationalize the Decision Support System (DSS) platform developed by
DDWS as a digital planning platform at District and GP levels for source sustainability, integrated with
Sujalam Bharat and national water datasets.
As part of the MoU conditions, Jal Seva Aankalan to be undertaken at GP level to record the responses in
service delivery and reflect the outcomes to citizens through Meri Panchayat Application. The MoU also
provides for observing Jal Utsav, a three-tier annual campaign comprising Jal Mahotsav at the national
level, Rajya Jal Utsav / Nadi Utsav at the State level, and Lok Jal Utsav at the Gram Panchayat level, by
assimilating local cultural significance of water. As part of this initiative, National Jal Mahotsav 2026 was
launched with a nationwide Jal Arpan on 8 March 2026 and will culminate on 22 March 2026 (World
Water Day). The national event held on 11 March 2026 was graced by honorable President of India Smt.
Droupadi Murmu.
The extension of Jal Jeevan Mission till December 2028, with enhanced outlay, aims to restructure and
reorient the programme towards assured service delivery, with a focus on functionality, water quality,
sustainability and community ownership.
The reform-linked MoU seeks to ensure that every rural household has access to drinking water supply in
adequate quantity and of prescribed quality on a regular basis, through strengthened community
participation (Jan Bhagidari) and bringing in structural reforms for sustainable operation and maintenance
of rural water supply systems, thereby enhancing the living standards of rural communities contributing to
long-term water security aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
***
ND
(Release ID: 2241388) Visitor Counter : 378
Read this release in: Urdu , ही