New Delhi, July 14 (IANS) Sharing district-level best practices, the Jal Shakti Ministry on Tuesday held the 10th edition of the District Collectors’ Peyjal Samvad to deliberate on accelerating the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0, an official said.
Ashok K.K. Meen, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), led the discussions through video conferencing, bringing together Senior Officials, District Collectors/Deputy Commissioners and Mission Directors of State/UTs.
As five districts showcase best practices on sustainable rural water service delivery under JJM 2.0, Meena said that the 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, Meena called upon States and districts to accelerate the certification of Har Ghar Jal (HGJ) Gram Panchayats (GPs), said an official statement.
He also urged districts to institutionalise Jal Arpan as an annual community-led event in every Gram Panchayat to celebrate and reinforce local ownership of rural water supply systems.
Kamal Kishore Soan, Additional Secretary and 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, said the statement.
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.
During 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 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, said the statement.
–IANS
rch/dan