As a remarkable step towards sustainable, assured, and citizen-centric rural drinking water supply across India, reform-linked memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed today under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 with four states — Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Jharkhand, and Tamil Nadu, and one UT (Puducherry).
The reform‑linked MoU mandates a Gram Panchayat‑led, service‑based and community‑centred model of rural water governance, aligned with the objectives of Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 and 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.
The MoUs were signed in the presence of the Union Minister of Jal Shakti, C.R. Patil, Minister of State, V. Somanna and the Chief Ministers of the respective States/UT during five separate scheduled meetings conducted via online video conference.
Senior officials from the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), including Ashok K. K. Meena, Secretary, DDWS, Kamal Kishore Soan, Additional Secretary & Mission Director, National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM), Joint secretaries, Directors and Deputy Advisors were also present during the MoU signing.
The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, and Minister-PHE & WS, Mama Natung, also joined the event virtually, along with senior officials from Government of Arunachal Pradesh. The MoU was signed and exchanged between Smt. Swati Meena Naik, Joint Secretary (Water), DDWS, and Shri Amjad Tak, Commissioner, PHE and WSD, Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
The fifth MoU with Nagaland was signed in the presence of Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio who joined through VC along with PHED Minister of Nagaland,Jacob Zhimomi and other senior officials from the State.
The MoU was signed by Swati Meena Naik, Joint Secretary (Water), DDWS, and Shri Zarenthung Ezung, Secretary & Mission Director (JJM) Nagaland and was exchanged by Smt. Sharon Longchari, Joint Resident Commissioner, Nagaland House.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, C. R. Patil said that Jal Jeevan Mission, launched under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has transformed rural drinking water supply across the country and reduced the ordeal of fetching water especially by women and girls. Under JJM 2.0, now the focus is on sustaining the infrastructures created under the Mission, functionality of tap connections, water quality, source sustainability, O&M, community ownership and regular monitoring as key priorities.
The Minister also stressed the need for water conservation, rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, greywater management, catchment area protection and community-based water quality monitoring. He said Gram Panchayats, District Water and Sanitation Missions, State Water and Sanitation Missions and local communities must work together to ensure reliable drinking water services.
