West Tripura district showcased innovative rural drinking water practices at the Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 review, highlighting rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, catchment protection, afforestation and greywater management alongside community participation to strengthen sustainable drinking water delivery.
West Tripura district has emerged among five districts across India showcasing best practices in rural drinking water service delivery under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0, highlighting its initiatives in water conservation, groundwater recharge and community participation.
The district presented its initiatives during the 13th District Collectors’ Peyjal Samvad, organised by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti through video conferencing. The meeting focused on reviewing the implementation of JJM 2.0 and identifying effective approaches to improving rural drinking water services across the country.
According to an official release, West Tripura highlighted several measures aimed at conserving water resources and strengthening the sustainability of rural drinking water systems. These included rooftop rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, catchment protection, afforestation and greywater management. The district also emphasised greater involvement of self-help groups and local institutions in managing water resources and improving service delivery.
The presentations brought together innovative practices in rural drinking water management, focusing on community participation, water conservation and technology-driven monitoring. They also highlighted achievements, implementation challenges and strategies adopted by districts to accelerate progress under the Har Ghar Jal initiative.
Apart from West Tripura, the four other districts recognised for presenting their practices were Bargarh in Odisha, Palamu in Jharkhand, Kanpur Nagar in Uttar Pradesh and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu.
Bargarh district presented a three-stage approach to drinking water projects, covering execution, commissioning, and operation and maintenance. It also highlighted the provision of round-the-clock piped drinking water to the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sambalpur through a multi-village water supply scheme.
Palamu district in Jharkhand showcased its district control room, grievance redressal mechanisms and Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled monitoring systems. It also highlighted community-based water quality surveillance initiatives. The district’s Jalkar Bhugtan Abhiyan was presented as an effort to strengthen the collection of user charges and support the sustainable operation and maintenance of rural drinking water infrastructure.
Kanpur Nagar in Uttar Pradesh highlighted digital grievance redressal systems, monitoring through Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) technology, and community-led water quality surveillance involving trained women volunteers. These initiatives aim to improve monitoring, address public complaints and strengthen local participation in ensuring safe drinking water.
Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu presented village-level water budgeting, groundwater recharge and technology-based monitoring systems. Its initiatives included IoT-enabled technology to track water supply and reduce losses, along with low-cost water disinfection systems designed to support drinking water quality.
The meeting was chaired by DDWS Secretary Ashok K. K. Meena, who stressed the importance of district administrations in ensuring the long-term sustainability of rural drinking water supply systems. He emphasised effective operation and maintenance, along with greater community ownership of drinking water infrastructure.
Additional Secretary and National Jal Jeevan Mission Mission Director Kamal Kishore Soan highlighted the need for training and capacity building among Gram Panchayats, Village Water and Sanitation Committees, Panchayat Secretaries and Sujalam Shakti Groups. He said strengthening local institutions and equipping community representatives with the necessary skills were important for maintaining drinking water infrastructure over the long term.
The exchange of experiences among the five districts is intended to help administrations learn from successful practices and address common challenges in rural water supply management.
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West Tripura’s presentation placed particular emphasis on combining traditional water conservation methods with community involvement and improved management practices. These approaches are relevant to sustaining drinking water availability, protecting local water sources and improving the reliability of rural supply systems.
The discussions under JJM 2.0 also reinforced the importance of collaboration between district administrations, local institutions and communities in achieving the broader objective of reliable rural drinking water access under the Har Ghar Jal initiative.
