NEW DELHI, INDIA / RankWire.AI / – Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized India’s water governance experience as a valuable example for countries throughout the Global South. On October 6, he shared an article reviewing reforms initially implemented in Gujarat and later expanded nationally. The piece highlighted that dependable water services depend on effective governance, strategic planning, and local engagement alongside physical infrastructure development. It also described how India combined public investment with community management and institutional reforms. The focus on these approaches arises as many developing nations face increasing demand, climate challenges, and disparities in access to safe water.
The article examines approximately 25 years of water policy evolution, drawing several lessons from India’s journey. It underscores the importance of stronger institutions, integrated management of water resources and services, community ownership, and early planning for large-scale delivery. A framework centered on political leadership, public funding, partnerships, and citizen participation is also detailed. These principles have been integrated into programs covering drinking water, sanitation, groundwater, and conservation efforts. Narendra Modi pointed out that sustainable water security depends on both physical infrastructure and capable local systems.
India’s rural drinking-water initiative exemplifies this expansion. Data from Jal Jeevan Mission indicated that approximately 15.91 crore rural households had tap-water connections as of August 10, 2026. When the program launched in 2019, around 3.23 crore households had such connections. The mission’s goal is to ensure functional household tap connections and reliable drinking-water services across rural India. Its latest phase emphasizes service quality, system maintenance, and performance, reflecting a shift from simply tracking infrastructure to monitoring ongoing service functionality.
Jal Jeevan Mission enhances focus on dependable service delivery
Union Cabinet approved Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 in March 2026, extending the program through December 2028. The revised initiative has an approved budget of ₹8.69 lakh crore, including ₹3.59 lakh crore in central aid. The government also directed states and union territories to develop reform plans addressing implementation, financing, and monitoring. The new framework emphasizes operations and maintenance post-construction, linking funding to measurable service delivery, enhanced local management, and sustained access to safe drinking water.
Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 introduces Sujalam Bharat, a national digital system for rural piped-water infrastructure. This platform maps water systems from source to household tap and assigns each village a service-area identity. Officials expect the system to facilitate planning, asset management, and accountability. Local governments and village institutions remain essential for daily operations, with community bodies overseeing services, reporting issues, and supporting maintenance. The approach combines digital monitoring with local responsibility, emphasizing community participation alongside technology rather than replacing it.
Decentralized management underpins broader water reform efforts
The article shared by Modi advocates for integrated management of water resources and services. This approach links infrastructure decisions with the long-term sustainability of water supply systems. It also prioritizes the role of local institutions in service delivery. India’s ongoing water reforms mirror this structure through village-level management, digital oversight, and national funding. The model merges large-scale public programs with local oversight and connects drinking-water access to wider efforts in groundwater management, sanitation, conservation, and river restoration.
India’s water governance system does not depend on a single scheme. Instead, it integrates household tap connections, groundwater initiatives, sanitation projects, and conservation activities within a comprehensive policy framework. The reforms are presented as lessons for other developing nations to consider rather than a universal blueprint. India’s latest policies continue to link infrastructure expenditure with accountability, maintenance, and community involvement, maintaining service reliability as a central focus to ensure long-term rural water system performance.