New Delhi, Sept. 17: North and Middle Andaman was among six districts whose Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) implementation practices were presented at a national-level review focused on strengthening rural drinking water supply and accelerating JJM 2.0.
District Collectors from across India took part in the 12th District Collectors’ Peyjal Samvad on 15 September, where they discussed implementation challenges, shared practices and examined measures to improve rural water supply services. The virtual meeting was organised by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti.
The session was chaired by DDWS Secretary Ashok K.K. Meena. Kamal Kishore Soan, Additional Secretary and Mission Director of the National Jal Jeevan Mission, along with senior officials from State Water and Sanitation Missions and DDWS, participated in the discussions.
North and Middle Andaman was included alongside Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh, Samba in Jammu and Kashmir, Hooghly in West Bengal, Dhamtari in Chhattisgarh and Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab for presentations on district-level implementation. The respective District Collectors, District Magistrates or District Commissioners presented the selected districts’ progress and practices to facilitate cross-learning under JJM 2.0.
During the meeting, Meena called for monthly meetings of District Water and Sanitation Missions to track scheme progress, service delivery, water quality and the sustainability of water sources.
He also stressed that completed schemes should be formally handed over to gram panchayats under the Jal Arpan programme after completing the prescribed trial run and documentation. The process is intended to strengthen community ownership and support sustainable operation and maintenance.
The DDWS secretary also called for greater involvement of MPs, MLAs and other elected representatives through Jal Arpan ceremonies, DISHA meetings and DWSM reviews to improve transparency and public confidence in rural water supply systems.
Districts were asked to ensure timely utilisation of JJM 2.0 funds, accurate reporting of physical and financial progress and preparation of District and State Improvement Plans to address service gaps.
Meena further encouraged districts to use the Decision Support System for planning measures such as rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge. He underlined regular monitoring of scheme functionality, water quality and sustainability interventions to maintain reliable drinking water services for rural households.
For Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the inclusion of North and Middle Andaman in the national cross-learning exercise places the district’s JJM implementation practices alongside selected districts from across the country.
