Tripura launches its first Operation and Maintenance Policy under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to strengthen rural drinking water supply. The initiative empowers Village Water and Sanitation Committees, ensures sustainable maintenance, faster repairs, community participation, and uninterrupted access to safe drinking water across rural areas.
In a landmark initiative aimed at ensuring sustainable and uninterrupted drinking water services in rural areas, the Tripura government has introduced its first-ever Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Policy under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). The new policy is designed to improve the efficiency, accountability, and long-term sustainability of rural water supply systems by placing greater responsibility in the hands of local communities.
The policy comes as a major step toward addressing long-standing challenges related to the maintenance of village drinking water infrastructure. Instead of depending entirely on higher administrative authorities for every repair or operational issue, the government has now empowered Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) to oversee routine operation and maintenance activities at the grassroots level.
Under the newly introduced framework, Village Water and Sanitation Committees established in every Gram Panchayat and ADC village will take charge of essential maintenance works. These responsibilities include repairing minor pipeline leakages, replacing damaged taps and valves, operating water supply motors, maintaining cleanliness around water sources, and ensuring the smooth functioning of village-level drinking water infrastructure.
Officials believe that this decentralized approach will significantly reduce delays in addressing routine problems, allowing villagers to receive uninterrupted access to safe and clean drinking water. By enabling local committees to resolve minor technical issues independently, the government aims to improve service delivery while strengthening community ownership of public assets.
However, the Public Health Engineering (Drinking Water & Sanitation) Department will continue to supervise major infrastructure and technical operations. Large-scale water supply schemes, water treatment plants, iron removal units, and other major facilities will remain under the department’s direct management. In cases involving significant technical failures or infrastructure breakdowns, departmental engineers will provide immediate intervention to restore services.
To ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the system, the policy introduces nominal user charges for households benefiting from rural drinking water services. According to officials, the collected funds will primarily be utilized to meet recurring expenses such as electricity bills, equipment servicing, and routine maintenance. Importantly, economically vulnerable families will receive exemptions from these user fees, ensuring that financial constraints do not restrict access to essential drinking water.
Speaking on the initiative, Debabrata Tripura, Officer-in-Charge of the Sakram DWS Sub-Division, stated that the policy currently applies exclusively to rural areas under Gram Panchayats and ADC villages. Urban local bodies and municipalities are not covered under the present framework.
He further explained that the Sakram subdivision comprises three Rural Development (RD) Blocks and one TTADC Zonal Office. Within this jurisdiction, Satchand RD Block includes 39 Gram Panchayats, Rupaichari RD Block covers 18 ADC villages, while Poangbari RD Block consists of four Gram Panchayats and three ADC villages. Altogether, these local bodies have begun implementing the new Operation and Maintenance Policy.
According to Debabrata Tripura, the initiative represents a significant shift in rural water governance by encouraging greater public participation and improving transparency in service delivery.
He expressed confidence that community involvement would result in faster repairs, better monitoring of water supply systems, and enhanced accountability. The policy, he noted, is expected to create a stronger partnership between local communities and government agencies while ensuring reliable drinking water services for rural households.
The introduction of the O&M Policy also aligns with the broader objectives of the Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide functional household tap connections and ensure sustainable water management across rural India. By combining community participation with technical support from the government, Tripura is seeking to establish a more resilient and efficient rural drinking water system.
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Officials believe this first-of-its-kind policy marks an important milestone in the state’s efforts to strengthen rural infrastructure. With local communities taking an active role in maintaining water supply systems, the initiative is expected to improve service quality, minimize disruptions, and ensure safe drinking water reaches every rural household in a timely and sustainable manner.
