New Delhi, Jan 15 : The Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, on Wednesday organised the 5th edition of the District Collectors’ Peyjal Samvad, bringing together senior officials and district administrations to review and strengthen service delivery under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
Chaired by DDWS Secretary Ashok K.K. Meena, the virtual interaction witnessed participation from District Collectors, Deputy Commissioners and district officials from across the country. Addressing the gathering,
Secretary appreciated district teams for their efforts in expanding tap water coverage and emphasised the need to move from infrastructure creation to sustainable service delivery. He highlighted the importance of community ownership and reiterated that under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, Gram Panchayats are responsible for operation and maintenance of rural drinking water systems.
The Secretary underlined two key focus areas—Jal Arpan, the structured handover of water supply schemes to Gram Panchayats after a trial run, and Jal Seva Aankalan, a community-led self-assessment of functionality in villages declared 100 per cent Har Ghar Jal. He also encouraged districts to document and share best practices for wider adoption.
Ankita Chakraborty, Deputy Secretary, National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM), explained the Jal Seva Aankalan framework, launched on December 30, 2025, which enables Gram Panchayats to assess drinking water services on parameters of regularity, adequacy and quality.
The current assessment cycle covers around 1.17 lakh Panchayats declared Har Ghar Jal on or before December 31, 2020, and is to be completed by January 26, 2026.
Districts including Niuland (Nagaland), Palwal (Haryana), Sarangarh-Bilaigarh (Chhattisgarh) and Mahabubnagar (Telangana) presented innovative field practices, highlighting strong community participation, technology-led solutions and digital monitoring systems to ensure sustainable water supply.
Concluding the session, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, NJJM, Shri K.K. Soan said the Jal Jeevan Mission has entered a critical phase focused on service quality and sustainability. He stressed that Jal Seva Aankalan would provide realistic, ground-level insights for timely corrective action and reaffirmed the pivotal role of District Collectors in sustaining Har Ghar Jal achievements.
