New Delhi: Ensuring safe drinking water supply requires infrastructure such as pipelines, pumps, and storage structures. Yet beyond these networks of steel and concrete, water systems are sustained by the people who keep them running every day. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, elected representatives, frontline workers, members of self-help groups, trained volunteers, and technical personnel come together at the rural level to operate, monitor, and maintain local water supply systems, supporting the delivery of safe drinking water to rural households.
Launched in August 2019, the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide every rural household with safe and adequate drinking water through a Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC). At the start of the programme, only 3.23 crore rural households had tap water connections. As of 3 March 2026, more than 15.82 crore rural households across the country are reported to have tap water supply in their homes reflecting India’s continued commitment to universal rural drinking water coverage. The Union Budget 2026–27 has proposed an allocation of ₹67,670 crore for the Mission, which has also been extended until 2028. This rapid expansion of rural drinking water infrastructure across the country has been supported by the efforts of thousands of individuals working at the grassroot level.
Across villages, these efforts are reflected in the dedication of people who oversee water systems, monitor operations, and safeguard water quality for their communities. To celebrate and encourage such contributions, the President awarded distinguished individuals for their role in strengthening rural drinking water governance during the Jal Mahotsav 2026. The nationwide campaign is being organised from 8 March to 22 March, promoting Jan Bhagidari under the Jal Jeevan Mission. The following stories offer a glimpse into the journeys of some of the individuals and the role they play in sustaining rural drinking water services in their communities.
Sustaining Rural Water Systems through Community Participation
Examples from Ladakh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim illustrate how the functioning of rural drinking water systems depends on the combined strength of infrastructure and local participation. Alongside the infrastructure created under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the involvement of Gram Panchayats, frontline workers, women’s groups, trained volunteers and technical personnel contributes to the day-to-day functioning of these systems at the village level. Through such participation, communities support the operation, maintenance and monitoring of rural water supply infrastructure, helping ensure that drinking water services continue to reach households across the country.
