The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti (DDWS) released the operational guidelines of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) two point zero as Jal Mahotsav 2026 culminated with Sujal Gram Samvad on World Water Day. 15-day campaign from eight March to 22 March involved community participation and transfer of drinking water assets to Gram Panchayats. The e-release followed Cabinet approval to extend Jal Jeevan Mission until December 2028, with renewed focus on structural reforms and long-term sustainability of rural drinking water systems.

The Union Minister for Jal Shakti presided over the event and officials presented a video summarising campaign activities. The minister underlined that the second phase will move from infrastructure creation to service delivery, emphasising sustainability, functionality and accountability to ensure rural households receive regular adequate and safe drinking water. Reform-linked memoranda of understanding are being signed with States, with nine States having signed MoUs during the festival to commit to sustainable village-level water services.

The guidelines set out assured service delivery with defined performance standards, clear accountability at State district and Gram Panchayat levels, and measures for source protection, water conservation and community ownership. They call for convergence on rainwater harvesting, grey water management and aquifer recharge to underpin reliability of supplies. The guidelines provide a roadmap for strengthened governance and long-term monitoring.

The Sujal Gram Samvad showcased village experiences from five states, illustrating that reforms are influencing local governance and operation and maintenance practices. Examples included a 24 by seven gravity based system in Uttarakhand, community funds for operation and maintenance and routine water quality testing using field test kits. Reported user charges included Rs40 per household per month in Haryana, Rs50 in Chhattisgarh and Odisha, and Rs100 in Madhya Pradesh to support local operation and maintenance.

Officials described continued emphasis on community ownership staff training and technology based monitoring to sustain gains made under the mission. The Ministry urged stakeholders to continue the movement for water conservation and local participation to achieve Har Ghar Jal and support the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.