Jal Jeevan 2.0: Big Water Reforms Signed for Bihar & Manipur

The Central Government has signed reform-linked Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the governments of Manipur and Bihar under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, advancing efforts to strengthen sustainable rural drinking water services across the country.

The agreements were formalised as part of the revamped rural water supply programme, with Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil overseeing separate signing ceremonies for both states. The new framework promotes a gram panchayat-led, service-oriented, and community-driven approach to rural water management, with the objective of ensuring reliable access to safe and adequate drinking water for every rural household.

In Manipur, the MoU was exchanged between officials of the National Jal Jeevan Mission and the state government in the presence of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Dikho. In Bihar, representatives of the National Jal Jeevan Mission and the state’s Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) formalised the agreement.

Bihar has already achieved close to 96 percent rural tap water coverage under the mission, while Manipur is leveraging the initiative to strengthen and modernise its rural water supply framework. The reform-linked programme is expected to improve service delivery, enhance local governance, and support the long-term sustainability of drinking water infrastructure in rural areas.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.