Focus on community-led water governance last-mile service delivery under Jal Jeevan Mission Minister

New Delhi, Apr 22 (PTI) Nearly nine crore women have been freed from the daily burden of fetching water over long distances following the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, Union Minister C R Patil said on Wednesday, emphasising on community-led water governance and last-mile service delivery.
     The Jal Shakti minister was chairing the sixth edition of 'Sujal Gram Samvad', which connects rural community members directly with government officials in local languages, on the flagship scheme that aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual tap connections to all households in rural India.
     Addressing the participants, Patil highlighted the transformative impact of the scheme, saying that "water is not merely regarded as a resource; it is recognised as life itself" and forms the cornerstone of human existence, livestock and agricultural prosperity.
     He said that any disruption to this cycle would threaten livelihoods, and stressed that, amid growing scarcity and unpredictable rainfall, collective vigilance in water conservation, harvesting and elimination of wastage is more critical than ever.
     The minister said nearly nine crore women have been freed from the daily burden of fetching water over long distances, with an estimated 5.5 crore hours saved every day for families, education and economic activities.
     Organised by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), the virtual dialogue connected 10 gram panchayats across eight states and two Union territories, bringing together Panchayat representatives, village water and sanitation committees, frontline workers and senior officials.
     DDWS Secretary Ashok K k Meena said gram panchayats are actively ensuring regular water supply, quality monitoring, awareness generation and greywater management.
     He urged local ownership ahead of National Panchayati Raj Day to be celebrated on April 24, calling on panchayats to fully manage water systems.
     "The foundation is laid by the government, but success is attributed to Jan Bhagidari and shared responsibility of villagers," he said, adding that district administrations must provide technical and managerial support.
     The Samvad continued its multilingual format, allowing villages to share experiences in Ladakhi, Rajasthani, Mizo, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi.
     Participating panchayats reported improved access to safe tap water, reduced drudgery for women and adoption of user charges, water quality testing and sustainable practices, the ministry said in a statement.
     Concluding the session, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, National Jal Jeevan Mission, Kamal Kishore Soan, urged wider adoption of innovative practices to strengthen transparency, accountability and long-term water security.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)