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Jal Arpan Initiative Boosts Community Ownership of Rural Water Systems
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News18•03-10-2026, 20:30
Jal Arpan Initiative Boosts Community Ownership of Rural Water Systems
- •Jal Arpan, an initiative under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, was observed in over 1,850 gram panchayats/villages on Gandhi Jayanti to strengthen community ownership of rural drinking water systems.
- •The initiative marked the formal handover of completed rural water supply schemes to Gram Panchayats and Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) for operation, maintenance, and long-term sustainability.
- •For the first time, 346 Har Ghar Jal certificates were generated for eligible gram panchayats and villages in regional languages through the new Jal Arpan digital module.
- •Jal Arpan activities included Jal Sankalp, Jal Bandhan, water quality testing demonstrations, awareness programs, and recognition of community contributors.
- •Over 15.96 crore rural households, representing more than 82% of rural households, now have drinking water tap connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Key Questions Answered
The Jal Arpan initiative is aimed at strengthening community ownership of rural drinking water systems by formally handing over completed rural water supply schemes to Gram Panchayats and Village Water and Sanitation Committees for operation, maintenance, and long-term sustainability.
The Jal Arpan digital module now supports the generation of Har Ghar Jal certificates in Hindi, English, and 17 other regional languages, including Assamese, Bengali, and Tamil.
As of October 2026, more than 15.96 crore rural households, representing over 82 percent of rural households in the country, have drinking water tap connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
