4 min readMar 18, 2026 11:16 AM IST
Days after the Union Cabinet approved the extension of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) till 2028, the Centre on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two states—Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan—for the implementation of the second phase of the rural tap water scheme.
The signing of the MoUs is one of the four mandatory requirements for states to avail the central funds under the JJM 2.0, for which the Centre has approved an additional outlay of Rs 1.51 lakh crore till 2028.
The other mandatory requirements are: creation of Sujal Gaon IDs to ensure complete digital mapping of all rural water supply schemes, timely financial reconciliation, and notification of state operation and maintenance (O&M) policies.
The MoU with Rajasthan was signed in the presence of Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil and state Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma. Patil and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav witnessed the exchange of the MoU with the MP government via a video conference.
According to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry, the MoUs cover the implementation of 11 key structural reform areas aimed at strengthening governance, institutional capacity, and long‑term sustainability of rural drinking water systems.
These reforms include institutional architecture for drinking water governance; service utility framework for rural water supply; technical compliance and efficient scheme implementation; citizen‑centric water quality governance; source sustainability and water security framework; digital data governance in rural drinking water systems; participatory governance through Jan Bhagidari; capacity building framework; human resource and skilling ecosystem; operational and financial sustainability of water supply schemes; and research, innovation and knowledge ecosystem.
“The reform‑linked MoU mandates a Gram Panchayat‑led, service‑based and community‑centred model of rural water governance. As a key condition of MoU, completed piped water supply schemes shall be formally handed over to Gram Panchayats/VWSCs [Village Water and Sanitation Committees] and community through ‘Jal Arpan’ process,” the ministry said in a statement.
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The ministry termed the signing of the MoUs as a “landmark step towards strengthening rural drinking water governance”.
“The MoU also provisioned to operationalise the Decision Support System (DSS) platform developed by DDWS [Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation] as a digital planning platform at District and GP levels for source sustainability, integrated with Sujalam Bharat and national water datasets,” it added.
As part of the MoU conditions, Jal Seva Aankalan will be undertaken at the Gram Panchayat level to record the responses in service delivery and reflect the outcomes to citizens through Meri Panchayat Application, the statement added.
“The MoU also provides for observing Jal Utsav, a three‑tier annual campaign comprising Jal Mahotsav at the national level, Rajya Jal Utsav/Nadi Utsav at the state level, and Lok Jal Utsav at the Gram Panchayat level, by assimilating local cultural significance of water,” it said.
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Speaking on the occasion, Patil said that the Centre follows a “zero-tolerance policy” towards corruption, adding that quality, transparency, and accountability must guide all works undertaken under Jal Jeevan Mission. He also urged both States to ensure strict adherence to quality standards so that assets created remain functional and sustainable over the long term.
Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Ashok K K Meena and Additional Secretary and Jal Jeevan Mission Director Kamal Kishore Soan were also present.
