Itanagar, Jun 2: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday said the signing of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 agreement with the Centre marks a major step towards strengthening drinking water services and ensuring long-term water security across the state.
Khandu made the remarks after the state government signed a reform-linked memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti for the implementation of JJM 2.0, aimed at improving rural drinking water infrastructure and ensuring sustainable tap water supply.
In a social media post, the Chief Minister said the initiative would help address water scarcity, improve service delivery systems and advance Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a "Viksit Bharat" with safe and reliable tap water for every household.
The MoU was signed during a programme attended by Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, Minister of State V Somanna and senior officials of the Centre and the state government.
Khandu participated in the programme virtually along with Public Health Engineering and Water Supply Minister Mama Natung.
The agreement forms part of the Centre's revamped JJM 2.0 framework, which focuses on long-term sustainability, improved service delivery and community-led management of rural water supply schemes, officials said.
Under the programme, states are required to undertake structural reforms, strengthen institutional mechanisms and encourage greater participation of local bodies, including village-level water and sanitation committees, in the operation and maintenance of water supply infrastructure, they said.
Approved by the Union Cabinet earlier this year, JJM 2.0 will be implemented till December 2028 with an enhanced financial outlay.
The mission aims to ensure reliable and sustainable drinking water services to rural households while improving water quality monitoring and accountability.
Arunachal Pradesh's participation in the reform-linked framework would enable the state to access central assistance tied to performance benchmarks and reform measures, besides accelerating efforts to provide safe drinking water to households in remote and difficult terrain areas, officials added. (PTI)