DDWS Holds Third Peyjal Samvad to Strengthen Rural Water Delivery

28 Nov 2025 CW Team

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) recently conducted the third District Collectors’ Peyjal Samvad, a national platform designed to strengthen rural water governance and improve service delivery under Jal Jeevan Mission. With the theme ‘From Grassroot to Forefront’, the virtual meeting focused on real-time service delivery, scheme functionality, source sustainability, water quality and last-mile governance.

Chaired by Secretary DDWS Shri Ashok K.K. Meena, the session underscored that while asset creation has progressed substantially, the real test lies in ensuring daily supply of quality water. Gram Panchayats, as institutions closest to communities, were highlighted as central to operations and maintenance. Officials also shared insights from over 530 district-level meetings and the growing use of Panchayat Dashboards, which have enabled more than 85,000 Panchayats to track household coverage, scheme performance and water quality results.

A detailed presentation on the Commissioning and Handing Over Protocol outlined a four-phase framework covering documentation, system testing, trial operations and final certification, aimed at improving transparency and long-term sustainability. Districts from Mizoram, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Ladakh and Meghalaya presented local innovations, including solar-powered systems, gravity-fed solutions, advanced monitoring and strong community-led oversight.

The session concluded with a call to enhance monitoring, reinforce community ownership and prioritise source rejuvenation to secure long-term rural water supply. CW.

Infrastructure Urban

28 Nov 2025

India–UAE Review CEPA as Trade Surges Past USD 100 Billion

India and the UAE recently held the third Joint Committee meeting under the India–UAE CEPA in New Delhi, co-chaired by Shri Ajay Bhadoo and H.E Juma Al Kait. Both sides noted the rise in bilateral trade, which crossed USD 100.06 billion in FY 2024–25, marking a 19.6 per cent increase. Discussions included market access, data sharing, allocation of Gold TRQ, Rules of Origin, BIS licensing, and anti-dumping matters. India also outlined its new competitive bidding process for Gold TRQ. The two nations reviewed recent ministerial engagements and reiterated their commitment to growing non-..

C-DOT, IIT Roorkee Partner to Set Up Telecom Innovation CoE

The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) has recently signed an MoU with IIT Roorkee to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) focused on advancing indigenous telecom innovation. The new facility aims to boost research, prototype development and capacity building in emerging domains such as 5G, 6G, quantum technologies, wireless communication, cybersecurity and AI-led applications. The initiative is designed to strengthen academia–industry collaboration by combining IIT Roorkee’s academic strengths with C-DOT’s R&D expertise. The partnership was formalised in the presence of ..

ICG Hosts First Conference on Shipbuilding and Indigenisation

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) recently hosted its first Shipbuilding, Indigenisation & IT Conference in Madikeri, Karnataka, marking a key step in advancing India’s maritime capabilities. A major highlight was the signing of an MoU between the ICG, the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association and the Defence Innovation & Atal Incubation Centre to drive innovation and strengthen indigenisation through the Defence Innovation Hub at Coimbatore. DG Paramesh Sivamani underscored the importance of indigenous design, resilient supply chains and digital infrastructure, while noting pr..