Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 pushes Panchayat-led source sustainability through convergence

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation has asked States and districts to deepen convergence under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, especially for source sustainability and village-level water security. The 14 October conference focused on linking drinking-water planning with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) and using scientific tools such as Yuktdhara for local planning.

The administrative shift is from counting household tap connections alone to sustaining the source, system and service. Gram Panchayats are expected to play a stronger planning role, while departments coordinate works for recharge, source protection and critical water sources. A 15 October Peyjal Samvad with district collectors also highlighted local governance practices from multiple States.

For civil-services preparation, the issue connects decentralisation, rural water governance, convergence of schemes and data-assisted planning. The long-term test of a drinking-water programme is not only whether infrastructure is created, but whether adequate quantity and quality can be maintained through local institutions and resilient source management.