Raipur, Chief Secretary Mr. Vikassheel has given strict instructions to departmental officials to ensure regular water supply and continuous testing of drinking water purity in the state under the Jal Jeevan Mission. An important meeting of the Apex Committee of the State Water and Sanitation Mission was held today at the Secretariat (Mahanadi Bhawan) under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary.

The meeting discussed in detail various topics, including the implementation plan for Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, drinking water provision in PVTG settlements under the PM Janaman program, necessary resources, training, public participation, water conservation, and the Sujalam Bharat digital platform. Additionally, the new "Jal Arpan" initiative for judicious use of groundwater and protection of water sources was also discussed.

After infrastructure, the focus is now on smooth operations and monitoring.

The Chief Secretary stated that after the completion of the installation of water tanks and taps in various villages and settlements, the most important responsibility now is to ensure regular water supply and maintain water quality.
Gram Panchayats have been entrusted with the responsibility of operating and maintaining tap water schemes. Women's participation in the committees formed for this purpose has been made mandatory. The Chief Secretary directed officials to cooperate by establishing better coordination with Gram Panchayats. The District Collectors will be directly responsible for the continuous and effective monitoring of tap water schemes.

Strict guidelines for financial transparency and digital tracking

The Chief Secretary directed that full financial transparency be maintained in accordance with the guidelines under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0. He clarified that funds received from the central government should be used only for approved purposes. He directed real-time tracking through the Sujalam Bharat digital platform and the PM Gati Shakti app to promptly rectify any disruptions in the water supply chain.

Additionally, he reviewed the progress of approved projects in LWE (Naxal)-affected and inaccessible tribal areas, calling for expedited work. He directed that a comprehensive action plan be developed to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to 100% of rural households in Chhattisgarh before the 2028 deadline.

Progress of Single Village and Bulk Water Scheme

In the meeting, officials provided information on the progress of the reform plan under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0. Under the Single Village Scheme, this decentralized scheme provides tap connections to every household through pipelines, using water sources available in the villages. 29,090 such schemes have been established in various villages across the state. 70 schemes are in operation to deliver large quantities of pure drinking water to remote areas, cities, or clusters of villages. Water is brought from remote sources and purified in water treatment plants.

Under the PM Janaman Yojana, work is underway on a special action plan for drinking water supply in PVTG habitations (with less than 20 families) falling under 1,531 villages and for the left out families in LWE areas.

Principal Secretary of Women and Child Development Department, Mrs. Shehla Nigar, Secretary of Public Health and Family Welfare Department, Mr. Amit Kataria, Secretary of Finance Department, Mr. Rohit Yadav, Secretary of School Education Department, Dr. Kamalpreet Singh, Secretary of Public Health Engineering Department, Mr. Mohammad Qaiser Abdul Haq, Secretary of Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Mr. Bhim Singh, along with senior officers of Jal Shakti Ministry and Drinking Water and Sanitation Department of Government of India were also present in the meeting virtually and in person.