State reviews roadmap to ensure safe drinking water for all rural households by 2028
TFP Bureau, Raipur, May 20, 2026: Chief Secretary Shri Vikas Sheel directed departmental officials to ensure regular water supply and continuous monitoring of drinking water quality across the state under the Jal Jeevan Mission. An important meeting of the Apex Committee of the State Water and Sanitation Mission was held on Wednesday at Mahanadi Bhawan under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary.
The meeting discussed in detail the implementation roadmap for Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, drinking water arrangements in PVTG habitations under the PM Janman Programme, required resources, training, public participation, water conservation and the “Sujalam Bharat” digital platform. Deliberations were also held on the new “Jal Arpan” initiative aimed at the judicious use of groundwater and protection of water sources.
*Focus shifts to smooth operations and monitoring after infrastructure creation*
Chief Secretary said that after completion of water tanks and tap installations in villages and habitations, directed to ensure regular water supply and maintain water quality.
Shri Vikas Sheel said Gram Panchayats will oversee operation and maintenance of tap water schemes with mandatory participation of women in committees, while District Collectors will ensure regular monitoring and coordination for effective implementation.
*Strict directions on financial transparency and digital tracking*
Chief Secretary directed officials to maintain complete financial transparency in accordance with the guidelines under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0. He clarified that funds received from the Central Government should be utilised only for approved purposes.
To ensure immediate rectification of any disruption in the water supply chain, he instructed officials to undertake real-time tracking through the Sujalam Bharat digital platform and the PM Gati Shakti app.
Reviewing the progress of approved schemes in LWE (Naxal)-affected and remote tribal areas, the Chief Secretary instructed officials to expedite implementation works. He further directed preparation of a comprehensive action plan to ensure supply of safe drinking water to 100 per cent rural households in Chhattisgarh before the 2028 deadline.
*Progress of Single Village And Bulk Water Schemes*
Officials informed in the meeting about the progress of the reform plan under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0. Under the Single Village Scheme, locally available water sources in villages are utilised to provide tap water connections to every household through pipelines. A total of 29,090 such schemes have been developed in villages across the state.
Additionally, 70 bulk water supply schemes are operational to supply large quantities of safe drinking water to remote areas, towns and clusters of villages. Under these schemes, water is sourced from distant locations and purified through water treatment plants.
Under the PM Janman Programme, work is underway on a special action plan for drinking water supply in around 920 habitations with less than 20 families, falling under 1,531 villages in PVTG areas, as well as left-out families in LWE regions.
The meeting was attended by Women and Child Development Department ‘s Principal Secretary Smt. Shahla Nigar and Secretaries of each department including Shri Amit Kataria of Public Health and Family Welfare Department, Dr Rohit Yadav of Finance Department, Dr Kamalpreet Singh of School Education Department, Shri Mohammad Qaiser Abdul Haq of Public Health Engineering Department, Shri Bheem Singh of Panchayat and Rural Development Department, along with senior officials from the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti and Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, who participated both virtually and physically.
