Centre Signs Reform Linked MoUs With Andaman And Nicobar Islands And West Bengal

21 May 2026 CW Team

For the Union Territory, the memorandum was signed by the joint secretary in DDWS and the UT secretary and exchanged at DDWS with the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Secretary participating virtually. The UT achieved 100 per cent rural tap water coverage in 2021 and completed a pilot at Sippighat Gram Panchayat. Officials said the UT consumed its allocated budget across 40 fully completed rural water projects.

The agreement with West Bengal was signed at the Chief Minister's office by the joint secretary in DDWS and the principal secretary of the public health engineering department, with the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary in attendance. The Chief Minister sought expedited financial and technical assistance for pending irrigation projects while affirming commitment to transparency in implementing Har Ghar Jal objectives. The Union Minister requested immediate physical reviews in the historically lagging districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Purulia and urged community participation campaigns.

The Ministry set out legal and structural expectations under JJM 2.0, calling for strict enforcement of operation and maintenance policy and the legal transfer of village-level infrastructure responsibilities to Village Water and Sanitation Committees. Gram Panchayats are to manage village water systems and collect local water revenue to ensure sustainability, supported by regular meetings of District Water and Sanitation Missions to finalise village saturation plans and enable certification as Har Ghar Jal. The agreements also call for prompt financial reconciliation of ongoing schemes.

The Centre signed reform-linked memoranda of understanding with the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the State of West Bengal under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0. The agreements formalise a Gram Panchayat-led, service-based, community-centred model of rural water governance to enhance transparency, accountability and local management. The signings took place in scheduled meetings attended by the Union Minister of Jal Shakti and senior officials from the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation. For the Union Territory, the memorandum was signed by the joint secretary in DDWS and the UT secretary and exchanged at DDWS with the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Secretary participating virtually. The UT achieved 100 per cent rural tap water coverage in 2021 and completed a pilot at Sippighat Gram Panchayat. Officials said the UT consumed its allocated budget across 40 fully completed rural water projects. The agreement with West Bengal was signed at the Chief Minister's office by the joint secretary in DDWS and the principal secretary of the public health engineering department, with the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary in attendance. The Chief Minister sought expedited financial and technical assistance for pending irrigation projects while affirming commitment to transparency in implementing Har Ghar Jal objectives. The Union Minister requested immediate physical reviews in the historically lagging districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Purulia and urged community participation campaigns. The Ministry set out legal and structural expectations under JJM 2.0, calling for strict enforcement of operation and maintenance policy and the legal transfer of village-level infrastructure responsibilities to Village Water and Sanitation Committees. Gram Panchayats are to manage village water systems and collect local water revenue to ensure sustainability, supported by regular meetings of District Water and Sanitation Missions to finalise village saturation plans and enable certification as Har Ghar Jal. The agreements also call for prompt financial reconciliation of ongoing schemes.

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