New Delhi, Oct 22 — Ashok K.K. Meena, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, on Thursday discussed issues related to sustainable rural drinking water service delivery with officials of States and Union Territories.
During a virtual conference, Meena led discussions focused on strengthening convergence between Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 and the 16th Finance Commission to advance source sustainability, water security and Gram Panchayat-led planning for sustainable rural drinking water service delivery, according to an official statement.
He said that the true measure of success lies not merely in asset creation but in ensuring that rural households continue to receive reliable and safe drinking water through well-maintained and financially sustainable systems.
Vipul Ujwal, Director, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, made a presentation on the Gram Panchayat Development Plan, release modalities and utilisation of Finance Commission Grants for rural water supply O&M.
He emphasised that sustainable service delivery requires integration of three critical elements - Requirements, Resources and Responsibilities (RRR).
Meena underlined the pivotal role of Gram Panchayats in rural water governance and noted that the 73rd Constitutional Amendment places drinking water and sanitation among the key responsibilities of local self-governments.
He stressed that Gram Panchayats must take leadership in preparing comprehensive annual O&M plans, mobilising local resources, managing service delivery and ensuring accountability for water supply infrastructure created under JJM and other programmes.
Referring to the 16th Finance Commission framework, he highlighted that tied grants provide a significant opportunity to strengthen the sustainability of drinking water and sanitation services at the grassroots level.
The Secretary focused on three key pillars of sustainable financing for rural water supply systems such as effective utilisation of Finance Commission grants, convergence with other available programmes and schemes, and progressive strengthening of user-charge collection mechanisms.
He called upon to strengthen coordination between Rural Water Supply Departments, Panchayati Raj Institutions and Rural Development Departments at the State, district and Gram Panchayat levels.
He noted that the simultaneous implementation of JJM 2.0, VB-G RAM G, and the 16th Finance Commission cycle provides a unique opportunity to institutionalise sustainable water governance through integrated planning and coordinated implementation.
During the State experience-sharing session, Karnataka presented its integrated approach to rural water supply management through innovations such as Jala Sankalana, JalaAasthi and Jeevajala, which combine GIS-based asset management, real-time monitoring, community participation and evidence-based O&M planning.