The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation held the 3rd District Collectors’ Peyjal Samvad today, a platform designed to strengthen district-level engagement and enhance drinking water service quality and sustainability.
With the theme “From Grassroot to Forefront”, discussions focused on real-time service delivery performance, infrastructure functionality, source sustainability, water quality concerns, and last-mile governance, with districts providing data-backed insights. The virtual conference was chaired by Secretary DDWS, Shri Ashok K.K. Meena, who emphasised that while asset creation has been a milestone, the real test lies in ensuring quality water flows daily and building community trust. He stressed that effective operation and maintenance is central to this goal, with Gram Panchayats playing a critical role as institutions closest to the people.
Deputy Secretary-NJJM, Smt. Ankita Chakravarty, noted that over 530 District Collectors have shared recordings of their meetings on issues including source sustainability, O&M, leakages, tariffs and water quality. Over 85,000 Panchayats have accessed the Panchayat Dashboard to monitor their water supply data, helping them manage systems better.
Commissioning & Handing Over Protocol
A key segment featured a presentation by Shri Sumit Priyadarshi, Deputy Advisor-NJJM, on the Commissioning and Handing Over Protocol for Rural Water Supply Schemes. The framework includes four phases: pre-commissioning documentation, system testing, trial operations, and final documentation with digital integration. The Handing Over Protocol, introduced earlier this month when Union Minister Shri C.R. Patil released a handbook, sets out a uniform process for transferring completed schemes to Gram Panchayats and VWSCs. The formal Handover Day will be celebrated as Jal Arpan Diwas across villages, marked by activities including Jal Bandhan ceremonies and cultural programmes to reinforce community ownership.
District Presentations
Deputy Commissioners and District Magistrates from Mamit (Mizoram), Alluri Sitharama Raju (Andhra Pradesh), SAS Nagar (Punjab), Leh (Ladakh), and Ri Bhoi (Meghalaya) shared field experiences and strategies for strengthening rural water service delivery.
In concluding remarks, AS&MD-NJJM Shri Kamal Kishore Soan urged States to familiarise themselves with the new guidelines and share them in regional languages with communities. He called for strengthened monitoring, proper commissioning processes, and reinforced community governance, stressing that source rejuvenation and long-term sustenance must be treated as urgent priorities, particularly in hilly and water-stressed regions facing groundwater depletion.
The event brought together around 300 participants including senior officials, District Collectors, Mission Directors, and State Mission Teams from across the country.
