NEW DELHI, INDIA / RankWire.AI / – Prime Minister Narendra Modi has showcased India’s water governance strategies as an example for nations across the Global South. On October 6, he shared an article that details reforms carried out in Gujarat and their subsequent influence on national water initiatives. Modi emphasized that water security involves more than just infrastructure, highlighting the importance of planning, capable local systems, and community involvement as vital components of effective water management. The article positions India’s experience as a practical example for countries confronting increasing demand and strain on water resources.
The piece traces water governance reforms spanning approximately 25 years, beginning with changes in Gujarat during Modi’s tenure as chief minister. It outlines four key lessons for developing economies: strengthening governance, managing water resources and services collaboratively, fostering community ownership, and planning at scale. The approach is structured around political leadership, public financing, partnerships, and public participation. These concepts are linked to national programs addressing drinking water, sanitation, groundwater management, river conservation, and water-use efficiency.
India’s rural drinking water expansion exemplifies the scale of these national efforts. According to Jal Jeevan Mission data, about 15.91 crore rural households had tap-water connections as of August 10, 2026, compared to roughly 3.23 crore when the program started in 2019. The focus of the initiative is on providing functional household tap connections to rural families. Its current phase emphasizes service quality, reliability, and long-term maintenance over infrastructure development alone.
Jal Jeevan Mission Moves Toward Service-Centric Goals
Union Cabinet approved Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 in March 2026, extending the program through December 2028. The revised plan allocates a total budget of ₹8.69 lakh crore, with ₹3.59 lakh crore in central assistance. The government has shifted the focus toward delivering reliable, sufficient, and safe drinking water to rural households. States and union territories are required to develop integrated reform plans covering implementation, financing, and monitoring. This structure emphasizes the importance of maintaining operational systems after infrastructure is built and ensuring ongoing service delivery.
A new component within this framework is Sujalam Bharat, a national digital platform designed to map rural piped-water networks from source to household tap, assigning each village a unique service-area identity. Its purpose is to enhance planning, asset management, and accountability across water schemes. Community institutions continue to play a role in managing these systems, with village bodies and local authorities involved in system operation, service monitoring, and maintenance support within the broader rural water initiative.
Community Involvement Central to Water Governance
The article shared by Modi advocates for the integrated management of water resources and water services. Infrastructure planning should consider the sustainability of water supplies over the long term. It also underscores the significance of local participation, including institutions capable of overseeing village-level water services. The current national reforms reflect this approach, linking service delivery with governance, digital monitoring, and local management. These elements form the core of India’s ongoing message to other developing nations regarding water governance.
India’s model does not rely solely on a single program. It combines rural tap-water expansion with groundwater management, sanitation, conservation efforts, and river-cleaning initiatives. The article presents this integrated approach as a set of lessons rather than a one-size-fits-all blueprint for others. Modi’s October 6 remarks reaffirmed that water security hinges on strong institutions and community involvement alongside infrastructure. India’s latest reforms continue to follow this path by pairing substantial public investment with local management, digital oversight, and service standards.