The Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, organised the 12th edition of 'Sujal Gram Samvad' on 28 October 2026. This multilingual dialogue focused on the operation and maintenance (O&M) of rural drinking water systems under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0. The government aims to transfer O&M responsibilities to Gram Panchayats and encourages the use of 16th Finance Commission grants and user-charge collection for sustainability. The event featured interactions with representatives from five Gram Panchayats across Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Dadar Nagar Haveli, Mizoram, and Nagaland.
Key points
- Focuses on community-led water governance and source sustainability for the next 25-30 years.
- Encourages Gram Panchayats to collect user charges (e.g., ₹62/month in Jharkhand, ₹150/month in Mizoram).
- Promotes water quality testing by trained women using Field Testing Kits (FTKs).
- Urges integration of source protection into Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs).
- Advocates for the use of 16th Finance Commission grants for water system sustainability.
When it applies
- Twelfth Edition of Sujal Gram Samvad
Who it affects
- Gram Panchayats
Refers to
- Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0
- 73rd Constitutional Amendment