In a significant initiative to strengthen field-based learning and knowledge-sharing, the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, has urged States/UTs to encourage local colleges, universities and academic institutions to document and publish best practices emerging under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0.

Jal Jeevan Mission has emerged as a significant developmental initiative in the rural drinking water sector, since its commencement and this has led to the emergence of several noteworthy best practices across States/UTs in areas such as community participation, source sustainability, water quality management, operation and maintenance, technology adoption and decentralised governance.

Recognising the value of these field-based innovations, States/UTs have been encouraged to undertake the following:

· Engage local colleges, universities and academic institutions to study and document selected case studies and best practices under JJM 2.0.

· Disseminate findings of these studies through academic journals, institutional reports, newsletters, research papers, websites and other suitable platforms to facilitate evidence-based knowledge-sharing and replication.

· Identify suitable case studies & tour sites and facilitate necessary coordination with local academic Institutions/Schools, District Water and Sanitation Missions (DWSMs) and Gram Panchayats.

· Organise tour for Higher Secondary/Senior Secondary students from nearby schools to Multi Village Schemes (MVS), Water Treatment Plants (WTPs), Intake Wells, modern technologies such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Internet of Things (IoTs) and National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)-accredited Water Testing Laboratories

The initiative envisages that at least one student tour and one published case study/best practice with local academic institutions shall be undertaken in each district by the end of September 2026.

Through this initiative, JJM 2.0 seeks to deepen the culture of learning from the field, encourage innovation and make successful rural water supply practices more visible and accessible, thereby contributing to the sustained strengthening of rural water security.

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PS/AK