New Delhi/Lucknow, Mar 18 (PTI) The Centre on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Uttar Pradesh government for deepening structural reforms in rural drinking water governance in the state, marking the State’s formal entry into the reform-linked implementation framework of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
The Union Cabinet had approved Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 on 10 March 2026.
According to the Jal Shakti Ministry, the MoU outlines 11 key reform areas aimed at strengthening governance, institutional capacity and long-term sustainability of rural water supply systems. The key reform areas include institutional architecture for drinking water governance, service utility framework for rural water supply, citizen-centric water quality governance and digital data governance in rural drinking water systems.
It also seeks to ensure technical compliance and efficient scheme implementation, participatory governance through ‘Jan Bhagidari’, capacity building framework, operational and financial sustainability of water supply schemes and research, innovation and knowledge ecosystem.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who joined the event via video conferencing. Minister of State for Jal Shakti V Somanna and Uttar Pradesh Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh were also present during.
Paatil said that given the vast geographical area and large beneficiary base of Uttar Pradesh, substantial financial resources have been committed under the Mission.
He stressed that effective and timely utilisation of these funds is critical for achieving universal household tap water coverage.
Paatil, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that under his visionary leadership Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 is focusing on assured service delivery, accountability and long-term sustainability with structural reform.
The Union minister reiterated that the government follows a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, irregularities and quality lapses, and stressed the importance of ensuring regular and continuous drinking water supply in every village along with prompt grievance redressal.
Citing studies, he said the mission has reduced the burden on nearly 9 crore women who earlier spent hours fetching water, while universal access to safe drinking water could save about 5.5 crore hours daily and prevent nearly 4 lakh deaths annually due to diarrheal diseases.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said access to safe drinking water under the Jal Jeevan Mission has significantly improved health outcomes in the state, bringing mortality rates in encephalitis-affected regions of eastern Uttar Pradesh close to zero.
He also said that improved availability of drinking water and sanitation facilities has helped reduce dropout rates among girl students, addressing a key challenge faced earlier due to lack of toilets and water access in schools and Anganwadi centres.
Adityanath said that prior to the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission, only a limited number of villages in the state had access to piped drinking water, and several regions faced serious water quality issues, including arsenic- and fluoride-affected areas.
He said the government has expanded coverage to previously uncovered regions such as Bundelkhand, Vindhya and areas along the Ganga and Yamuna.
He added that the state government is focusing on ensuring quality water supply along with proper operation and maintenance of assets, while reaffirming its commitment to transparency and sustainability.
The Ministry said that the MOU mandates a Gram Panchayat-led, community-based model, under which completed schemes will be handed over to local bodies through a ‘Jal Arpan’ process.
It also provides for use of a decision support system (DSS) platform for planning and monitoring, integrated with national water datasets.
The Ministry said the extension of Jal Jeevan Mission till December 2028, with enhanced outlay, aims to restructure and reorient the programme towards assured service delivery, with a focus on functionality, water quality, sustainability and community ownership. PTI KSH ABN AKY
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