The Ministry of Jal Shakti has launched Jal Seva Aankalan, a digital tool for Gram Panchayats to self-assess drinking water services. This initiative under the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to ensure sustained service delivery and community ownership.
In a significant step towards strengthening service delivery and community ownership under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, on Tuesday e-launched Jal Seva Aankalan, a Gram Panchayat-led digital drinking water service functionality assessment tool on the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) portal.
The initiative marks a decisive shift from infrastructure creation to sustained service delivery, placing Gram Panchayats and village institutions at the centre of assessing the regularity, adequacy, quality and sustainability of drinking water supply in Har Ghar Jal (HGJ) villages. With a large number of Gram Panchayats having achieved Har Ghar Jal status, Jal Jeevan Mission has entered a new phase where the emphasis is on ensuring that tap connections translate into reliable and safe drinking water services on a daily basis, said the release.
A Community-Owned Self-Assessment Tool
Jal Seva Aankalan has been conceptualised as a community-owned self-assessment, enabling villages to collectively reflect on their water service delivery systems rather than relying solely on infrequent and costly third-party surveys. According to the release, the tool was formally e-launched by CR Patil, Union Minister of Jal Shakti. The event was attended by Ministers of State for Jal Shakti, V Somanna and Raj Bhushan Choudhary, along with senior officials of DDWS, representatives from States and institutions, Panchayat Secretaries, Sarpanches and Village Water & Sanitation Committee members. Around 10,000 representatives of Har Ghar Jal Gram Panchayats from across States/ UTs participated virtually in the programme.
Minister Emphasises Jan Bhagidari for Sustainability
Addressing the gathering, the Minister emphasised that Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is not only about creating assets, but about delivering dependable drinking water services to every rural household on a sustained basis. He outlined the four key pillars of the Mission - Political Will, People's Participation, Stakeholder Collaboration, and Optimal Resource Use, and underscored that Jan Bhagidari is the most crucial pillar for ensuring the long-term sustainability of Har Ghar Jal achievements. He stated that Jal Seva Aankalan empowers Gram Panchayats to become custodians of their own water supply systems and strengthens democratic decision-making through Gram Sabhas.
The Minister remarked that "Jal Jeevan Mission is for the people and for the villages, and the responsibility to keep it going rests with the community itself; this can be achieved only through Jan Bhagidari." The Minister underscored that community participation and transparency are essential for the long-term sustainability of rural drinking water systems, and that the new tool will help identify service delivery gaps early and enable timely corrective action.
He stated that Jal Seva Aankalan empowers Gram Panchayats to become custodians of their own water supply systems and strengthens democratic decision-making through Gram Sabhas. The Minister remarked that "Jal Jeevan Mission is for the people and for the villages, and the responsibility to keep it going rests with the community itself; this can be achieved only through Jan Bhagidari." The Minister underscored that community participation and transparency are essential for the long-term sustainability of rural drinking water systems, and that the new tool will help identify service delivery gaps early and enable timely corrective action.
Interaction with Village Representatives
A key highlight of the event was the interaction between the Minister CR Patil and Panchayat representatives from Ghonashi Gram Panchayat (Karad Block, Satara District, Maharashtra), Gogathala Gram Panchayat (Railmagra Block, Rajsamand District, Rajasthan), and Bilhapur Gram Panchayat (Amrodha Block, Kanpur Dehat District, Uttar Pradesh). The village representatives shared their experiences in managing rural water supply systems, ensuring regularity and quality of water supply, regular testing, collection of user charges, and sustaining Har Ghar Jal achievements.
Understanding the Assessment Process
Ashok KK Meena, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation, explained that Jal Seva Aankalan is neither an inspection nor an external audit, but a structured, community-led self-review process that enables villages to assess how effectively their piped water supply systems are functioning. He emphasised that the initiative places communities, Gram Panchayats and Village Water & Sanitation Committees at the centre of evaluating service delivery parameters such as regularity, adequacy, quality and system maintenance, with the findings deliberated and owned by the Gram Sabha.
Kamal Kishore Soan, Additional Secretary & Mission Director, National Jal Jeevan Mission, explaining the Jal Seva Aankalan process, stated that the inputs provided by Gram Panchayats must be filled correctly and responsibly, as the assessment data will be publicly visible at the national level, underscoring the importance of accuracy and credibility. He emphasised that Zila Panchayats have an active facilitative role to play, with planning and coordination at the district level, while systematic training at the block level, particularly of Panchayat Secretaries, is essential to ensure correct data entry. He further noted that the authenticity of the assessment can be ensured only through deliberation and endorsement in the Gram Sabha, which serves as the final forum for collective verification and ownership of the Jal Seva Aankalan outcomes.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Swati Meena Naik, Joint Secretary, NJJM, followed by a training session on the Jal Seva Aankalan tool for Gram Panchayat representatives by Ankita Chakravarty, Deputy Secretary, NJJM.
Key Parameters and Institutional Mechanism
With a significant number of Gram Panchayats having achieved Har Ghar Jal status, the focus has now moved to ensuring regular, adequate, safe and sustainable drinking water supply. Jal Seva Aankalan replaces dependence on infrequent external surveys with a continuous, institutionally embedded assessment mechanism rooted in local governance.
The assessment covers key service parameters, including Regularity and adequacy of water supply, Drinking water quality, Operation and maintenance of systems, Source sustainability, and Village-level institutional and management arrangements.
The process begins with structured discussions involving members of the Village Water & Sanitation Committee (VWSC), Panchayat Secretary, system operators and a representative cross-section of water users, including women and vulnerable groups. The findings are then placed before the Gram Sabha for open deliberation and endorsement. Upon approval through a Gram Sabha resolution, the assessment is digitally uploaded on the JJM Panchayat Dashboard and publicly disclosed through platforms such as eGramSwaraj and the Meri Panchayat App, with a 30-day citizen feedback window before finalisation.
The findings will also be available to the District Collectors/CEO Zila Panchayats and State Level authorities to enable corrective action and resolution of problems wherever required.
Expected Outcomes and Goals
Jal Seva Aankalan is expected to Anchor drinking water service assessment in Gram Sabha deliberations, enable early identification of operational, quality and sustainability challenges, improve transparency through public disclosure of service performance, support evidence-based district and state-level planning, and reinforce community stewardship of rural water supply systems.
All Har Ghar Jal Gram Panchayats are expected to complete Jal Seva Aankalan by 26th January 2026, reinforcing the principle that rural water supply systems belong to the community and must be managed by the community itself. (ANI)
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