Second ‘Sujal Gram Samvad’ Unites 8,000 Villagers, Reinforces JJM’s Community Focus

The initiative aligns with the mission’s vision of a people-centric, future-ready rural water infrastructure, ensuring that every household continues to receive safe, reliable drinking water.

The Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti successfully conducted the Second Edition of Sujal Gram Samvad, reaffirming the Government of India’s commitment to participatory water governance and community-driven implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

Held virtually, the session witnessed over 8,000 registered participants, with thousands more joining from Gram Panchayat-level gatherings—demonstrating deep public engagement and ownership of rural water supply systems.

Participants included Gram Panchayat leaders, Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs), women Self Help Groups, school children, frontline workers, District Collectors, Zila Parishad CEOs, DWSM officials and senior officers from States and Union Territories.

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Voices From the Ground: Experiences from Eight Villages

1. Zahirpura, Mehsana, Gujarat

Union Minister Shri C. R. Patil, interacting in Gujarati, heard how:

• Access to safe drinking water has reduced water-borne diseases

• Families now save on medical expenses and invest more in children’s education

• A proactive Pani Samiti ensures system maintenance and collects ₹700 per household

• The Gujarat model’s community-led water management remains a national benchmark

2. Kodi, Udupi, Karnataka

Minister of State Shri V. Somanna spoke in Kannada with the community that achieved 24×7 water supply, becoming a district model.

Residents highlighted:

• Regular FTK-based water quality testing

• Nal Jal Mitras’ vital role in O&M and tariff collection

• Transparent decision-making through DISHA and Gram Panchayat meetings

3. Pacheykhani, Pakyong, Sikkim

Interacting in Nepali, officials heard how:

• A strong WASH ecosystem improved school and village sanitation

• Robust grievance redressal and high community participation sustain schemes

• Children are being actively sensitised on water conservation and hygiene

4. Awneera, Shopian, Jammu & Kashmir

Villagers narrated the transformation from walking kilometres for unsafe water to:

• Household access to purified drinking water

• Regular water quality testing

• Improved water availability in schools and anganwadi centres

• Source conservation measures and pipeline augmentation from 8 km to 32 km

• Convergence with NABARD, MGNREGA and community-led spring-shed development

5. Dakin Porbotia, Jorhat, Assam

Assamese participants highlighted:

• 221 schemes handed over, with 182 reporting 100% tariff collection

• Daily monitoring via JJM Brain App

• Regular Jal Baithaks, DWSM meetings, and strong grievance redressal

• IMIS-linked transparency and active community involvement

6. Kaluwala, Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Speaking in Pahadi/Dogri, villagers shared:

• Women test water quality twice annually and escalate issues swiftly

• Pani Samitis fix leakages with local plumbers

• Jal Sakhis and SHGs ensure tariff collection and monitoring

• 91% villages in the district have achieved Har Ghar Jal status

7. Aarani, Simdega, Jharkhand

In Sadri, the community described:

• Monthly water quality tests uploaded on WQMIS

• Women’s SHGs and Jal Sahiyas playing central roles

• Time saved from fetching water enabling economic activities

• 399 households paying tariffs; 4,000+ SVSs handed to Panchayats

• Recharge structures and soak pits combating seasonal source drying

8. Lohara, Chandrapur, Maharashtra

Villagers reported in Marathi:

• Strong planning with direct VWSC participation

• QR-code-based payment system for ₹90 monthly tariff

• Door-to-door awareness by Jal Surakshaks

• Transparency via Gram Sabha expenditure disclosures

• Safe water access improving school and anganwadi services

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Institutional Strengthening and Way Forward

Key Messages from Senior Officials

• Secretary DDWS Shri Ashok K. K. Meena emphasised the value of multilingual dialogues for understanding ground realities and capturing community innovations.

• Additional Secretary & Mission Director (JJM) Shri Kamal Kishore Soan stressed:

  • Institutionalising monthly DWSM meetings

  • Mandatory 15-day trial runs before scheme handover

  • Panchayat onboarding on e-Gram Swaraj and dashboard monitoring

  • School-based sensitisation on drinking water quality

The programme closed with a vote of thanks from Shri Y. K. Singh, Director, NJJM.

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Strengthening the JJM Feedback Loop

The Sujal Gram Samvad platform continues to deepen the two-way communication between policymakers and grassroots institutions, capturing lived experiences, operational challenges, and innovations that ensure sustainable, community-managed rural water supply systems.

The initiative aligns with the mission’s vision of a people-centric, future-ready rural water infrastructure, ensuring that every household continues to receive safe, reliable drinking water.