The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti has asked states and union territories to bring together three major rural schemes under a single coordinated framework. The move aims to combine water supply work from Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, sanitation initiatives from Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) 2.0, and employment-linked rural development under the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramien) Act, 2025.
What the government wants states to do
States have been asked to ensure that planning for water, sanitation and rural development happens together rather than separately. Specific steps include:
- Include water supply officials in state-level steering committees set up under the Act
- Appoint nodal officers from water and sanitation missions to coordinate between departments
- Align village action plans under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 with broader development plans
- Register and map all water supply and sanitation projects on the national rural infrastructure database
- Use mapping tools like Yuktdhara along with water budget assessments to plan better
The government notes that water security is one of four priority areas under the Viksit Bharat Act. Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, which was approved on 10 March 2026, focuses on making drinking water sources sustainable, recharging groundwater and managing wastewater. Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) 2.0 handles solid and liquid waste management.
What this means for you
If you live in a rural area, this coordination could mean faster implementation of water and sanitation projects in your village, since work on wells, pipelines, waste systems and employment schemes will now be planned together instead of separately. Better planning at the village panchayat level should also reduce duplication and waste of resources. For states, this requires closer coordination between water supply departments and rural development agencies, along with proper tracking of all projects through online systems.