New Delhi, Sept. 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the valedictory session of the Departmental Summit of the Ministry of Jal Shakti in New Delhi on Wednesday, September 2, with the two-day meeting focusing on strengthening the spirit of ‘Team India’, cooperative federalism and coordination between the Centre and state governments.
The valedictory session is scheduled to be held at around 4.30 p.m. at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan. During the session, the Prime Minister is expected to share his views on the importance of coordinated efforts to achieve national priorities in the water sector.
The Departmental Summit, being held from September 1 to 2, is the first in a series of such summits envisioned by the Prime Minister to strengthen the Team India approach to governance.
The initiative is intended to provide a structured platform for representatives of the Union and state governments to jointly discuss sectoral priorities, challenges affecting implementation and ways to accelerate outcomes.
The summit is also expected to focus on converting discussions into time-bound action plans for the effective implementation of various programmes.
The broader objective is to promote shared responsibility for national goals and ensure that deliberations at the departmental level translate into measurable improvements in governance and service delivery.
The water sector has been identified as the central focus of the two-day summit, with discussions covering four major areas.
One of the key areas is the timely implementation of water infrastructure projects. The discussions are aimed at identifying challenges affecting the execution of such projects and developing measures to accelerate implementation.
Another focus area is Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari – Catch the Rain, an initiative centred on water conservation and efforts to improve water availability through public participation.
The summit will also discuss ensuring source sustainability of drinking water systems. Maintaining sustainable sources is an important component of ensuring reliable drinking water supplies, particularly as water demand and infrastructure requirements continue to evolve.
The fourth area of discussion is the operation and maintenance of rural drinking water supply schemes under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0.
The discussions are expected to examine implementation challenges across these areas and identify measures that can produce tangible results on the ground.
The summit’s emphasis on cooperation between the Centre and states comes as water-related programmes involve responsibilities and implementation requirements across different levels of government.
Through the Team India approach, the Centre and states are expected to work together on sectoral priorities, share responsibility for outcomes and coordinate implementation.
The two-day meeting is also expected to result in a coordinated roadmap for addressing challenges in the water sector. The proposed roadmap will focus on improving implementation mechanisms and strengthening the delivery of essential services.
Time-bound action plans are another key component of the summit, with discussions intended to move beyond broad deliberations towards specific measures for programme implementation.
The Prime Minister’s participation in the valedictory session is expected to underline the importance being attached to coordinated action in the water sector.
The four focus areas, water infrastructure projects, Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari-Catch the Rain, sustainability of drinking water sources and operation and maintenance of rural drinking water schemes under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, form the core of the departmental discussions.
The outcomes of the summit are expected to provide a framework for Centre-state coordination and help address implementation challenges affecting water-related programmes.
The meeting is part of a broader series of Departmental Summits aimed at bringing Union and state representatives together to discuss sector-specific priorities and develop coordinated approaches.
The two-day Jal Shakti summit will conclude with the Prime Minister’s address on Wednesday afternoon, following which the outcomes of the deliberations are expected to guide further action in the water sector.
