Lok Sabha Question No. 3236 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-12
Subject: Empowerment of Gram Panchayats and Village Water & Sanitation Committees
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Shri Ananta Nayak, Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar, Smt. Kriti Devi Debbarman, Shri Lumbaram Choudhary, Shri P P Chaudhary, Shri Tapir Gao, Shri Rajkumar Chahar, Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal, Shri Avimanyu Sethi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3236

ANSWERED ON 12.03.2026

## EMPOWERMENT OF GRAM PANCHAYATS AND VILLAGE WATER & SANITATION COMMITTEES

## 3236.   Shri Tapir Gao:

Shri P P Chaudhary:

Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar:

Shri Lumbaram Choudhary:

Smt. Kriti Devi Debbarman:

Shri Ananta Nayak:

Shri Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri:

Shri Avimanyu Sethi:

Shri Rajkumar Chahar:

Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal:

## Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)   the  steps  taken  to  empower  Gram  Panchayats  and  Village  Water  &  Sanitation  Committees (VWSCs) in the planning, implementation and management of in-village water supply systems under  the  Jal  Jeevan  Mission,  especially  in  Rajsamand,  Nathdwara,  Kumbhalgarh,  Bhim, Beawar, Jaitaran, Nagaur, Merta City, Jalore and Sirohi districts in Rajasthan and in Odisha including Keonjhar Lok Sabha Constituency;
- (b)  the  extent  of  community  involvement  in  the  certification  process  of  'Har  Ghar  Jal'  villages including  the  role  of  Gram  Sabhas  in  passing  resolutions  and  ensuring  transparency  in  the country and particularly in the Gram Sabhas falling under Pali Lok Sabha Constituency;
- (c)   the  challenges  faced  in  implementing these  community-centric  approaches and the measures taken by the Government to address them to ensure the sustainability of water supply services in the country, particularly in water scarce regions of Rajasthan and in Odisha, especially in Keonjhar Lok Sabha Constituency; and
- (d)  the strategies adopted to ensure the long-term operation and maintenance of rural water supply systems in the said States?

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI V. SOMANNA)

(a)  to  (d)  To  enable  every  rural  household  in  the  country,  including  those  in  Rajsamand, Nathdwara, Kumbhalgarh, Bhim, Beawar, Jaitaran, Nagaur, Merta City, Jalore and Sirohi districts in Rajasthan, and in Odisha including Keonjhar Lok Sabha Constituency, to have assured potable water in adequate quantity of prescribed quality on a regular and long-term basis through tap water connections, the Government of India, in partnership with States, has been implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) - Har Ghar Jal since August 2019.

In consonance with 73rd Amendment of Constitution of India and to instill the sense of ownership among villagers, village level planning and community participation in all decisions pertaining to water  supply  systems  have  been  envisaged  under  JJM  through  Panchayati  Raj  Institutions. Accordingly,  Gram  Panchayat  or  its  sub-committee/  user  group  i.e.  Village  Water  &  Sanitation Committee (VWSC) or Pani Samiti has been empowered to plan, implement, manage, operate and maintain in-village water supply system.

Moreover, under JJM, after making provision of tap connections to all rural households in a village, the  Department,  which  is  implementing  the  scheme,  provides  completion  certificate  to  Gram Panchayat  and  marks  the  village  as  'Har  Ghar  Jal'  village  on  JJM-IMIS.  Subsequently,  Gram Panchayats in its Gram Sabha meeting after reading out aloud the work completion report, formally passes  resolution  certifying  itself  as  'Har  Ghar  Jal'  village.  The  copy  of  certificate  provided  by implementing department, resolution passed by Gram Sabha, and a small video capturing the Gram Sabha is reflected on JJM Dashboard and village is marked certified in JJM-IMIS. As reported by States, out of around 2.74 lakh villages reported as 'Har Ghar Jal', around 1.81 lakh villages have been certified by the respective Gram Sabhas.

Under  JJM,  NGOs/  Community  Based  Organizations  (CBOs)/  Self  Help  Groups  (SHGs)/ Voluntary  Organizations  (VOs),  etc.  are  also  being  empaneled  as  Implementation  Support Agencies (ISAs) to handhold and train VWSCs/ Pani Samitis in planning, mobilizing and engaging communities, disseminating information and encouraging women participation for ensuring longterm maintenance of the water supply infrastructure.

To bring in 'sense of ownership and pride' among rural communities, provision has been made for community contribution to the extent of 5% of the in-village infrastructure cost in case of NorthEastern States and difficult/ hilly areas, forested, water-stressed and villages with more than 50% SCs/ STs population, and 10% in remaining villages.

While preparing VAPs,  dovetailing of resources available at village level under various programmes  like  Finance  Commission  tied  grant  for  water  &  sanitation  to  RLBs/  PRIs,  JJM, SBM(G), MGNREGS, MP/ MLA - Local Area Development Funds, District Mineral Development Fund  (DMDF),  CSR  Fund,  community  contributions,  etc.  is  of  paramount  importance.  In  longterm, it is expected that village community will dovetail and utilize all available resources for longterm water security of the village.

Further, for enabling the local village community to play their role shouldering the responsibility of operation and maintenance, Nal Jal Mitra Programme (NJMP) has been launched in collaboration with Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to equip them with a comprehensive set

of skills & develop 'Nal Jal Mitras', so that they can function as scheme operators and are able to carry  out  minor  repairs  and  maintenance,  including  preventive  maintenance,  of  the  piped  water supply scheme(s)  in their village as skilled masons,  plumbers,  fitters, electricians,  motor mechanics, pump operators, etc.

For long term operational sustainability of rural water supply works, States have been advised to put in place a comprehensive O&M policy including features such as, handing over of schemes to Panchayats/ Pani Samitis, user charges, sufficient financing specially to cover expenses on account of energy bills, skilling, and deployment of local persons for O&M and water quality surveillance activities, should be put in place by States/ UTs.

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