Jal Jeevan Mission: Uttar Pradesh introduces 10-year warranty model for rural water schemes

Key facts

• Uttar Pradesh introduced a mandatory 10-year operations and maintenance (O&M) ‘warranty’ for rural drinking water projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
• Under the new framework, construction agencies are responsible for operating and maintaining water supply infrastructure for a decade.
• The state rolled out the ‘Jal Arpan’ initiative to transform villagers into active stakeholders with ownership and leadership in managing local water supply systems.
• Over 33,000 solar-powered water schemes have been installed in Uttar Pradesh, reducing maintenance expenses by approximately 52%.
• Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs), also known as ‘Paani Samitis’ and led by Gram Pradhans, are involved in the planning, design, and daily operations of the infrastructure.
• The Namami Gange and Rural Water Supply Department is implementing the strategy to ensure long-term sustainability of the projects.
• Water quality monitoring is conducted through district-level, state-level, and mobile NABL-accredited laboratories.
• A Citizen Charter and an online grievance redressal system, accessible via a toll-free helpline or online portal, have been introduced to ensure service accountability.