New Delhi: The Ministry of Jal Shakti organised a high-level brainstorming session under the Chairmanship of the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri C. R. Patil, to deliberate on strengthening water governance, improving service delivery, ensuring water security, and enhancing the long-term sustainability of the water sector. The meeting was attended by the Ministers of State for Jal Shakti, Shri V. Somanna and Dr Raj Bhushan Choudhary, along with senior officers of the Ministry.

The session witnessed a free, open and constructive exchange of ideas on a wide range of issues relating to water resources management, drinking water and sanitation, river rejuvenation, irrigation efficiency, institutional strengthening and use of modern technology.

Addressing the participants, Shri C. R. Patil emphasized that water is fundamental to every stage of human life and called for continuous improvement in the quality of service delivery, better financial planning, and effective utilisation of public resources. He highlighted the importance of community participation, awareness on water at the school level, and scaling up of successful models in different parts of the country to ensure long-term sustainability of water-related initiatives. He reiterated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government remains firmly committed to ensuring delivery of water and sanitation related services through transparent, responsive and citizen-centric governance.

The Ministers of State, Shri V. Somanna and Dr Raj Bhushan Choudhary, shared their views on adopting an integrated approach to water management, addressing issues of floods and droughts in a holistic manner, improving utilisation of available data, promoting rainwater harvesting, efficient use of surface and groundwater resources, and strengthening preparedness to deal with emerging challenges related to climate change.

The two Secretaries underscored the need to further strengthen service delivery frameworks, deepen convergence among ongoing schemes, reinforce institutional mechanisms at all levels, enhance capacity building at the grassroots, and ensure that the intended benefits of flagship programmes reach citizens effectively and sustainably.

It was noted that such structured interactions are essential to align priorities, identify operational bottlenecks, and promote coordinated efforts among various stakeholders. The Ministry will compile the key suggestions and deliberations from the session for appropriate follow-up and further action in consultation with concerned departments and States.

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