The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N), an autonomous scientific society under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The agreement, signed at the CGO Complex, New Delhi, marks a significant step in developing a GIS-integrated decision-support platform for the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) [SBM(G)].

The platform will strengthen data-driven decision-making, planning, monitoring, and evaluation of rural water supply and sanitation initiatives across India.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Shri Ashok K. K. Meena, Secretary, DDWS, who chaired the event. The MoA was exchanged between Smt Swati Meena Naik, Joint Secretary (JJM), and Shri Vinay Thakur, Special Director General, BISAG-N, in the presence of Shri Kamal Kishore Soan, AS&MD–NJJM, along with senior officials from both organisations.

Speaking at the event, Shri Meena highlighted the importance of geospatial technologies in enhancing transparency, accountability, and efficiency in implementing national missions. He said the partnership with BISAG-N would introduce advanced GIS capabilities to the digital infrastructure of JJM and SBM(G), enabling real-time visualisation, analytics, and informed decision-making.

The upcoming platform will facilitate the mapping of Rural Piped Water Supply Schemes (RPWSS) by generating unique scheme-level IDs, allowing granular monitoring of household-level water delivery. It will also promote integration with other rural infrastructure initiatives to ensure coordinated development.

Under the agreement, BISAG-N will provide end-to-end technical support, including database design, map creation, data migration, software development, and systems integration. The system will include advanced features such as digital photogrammetry, vector data capture, thematic mapping, and ground control surveying.

Aligned with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, the platform will ensure seamless integration of water and sanitation infrastructure with other sectoral assets, helping optimise resource allocation, enhance service delivery, and accelerate infrastructure development in rural areas.

The collaboration supports the Government of India’s Digital India vision, leveraging technology to drive inclusive and sustainable rural development. By combining spatial intelligence with mission data, DDWS and BISAG-N aim to create a robust digital ecosystem that strengthens planning, execution, and monitoring of rural water and sanitation services.