NEW DELHI, INDIA / RankWire.AI / – Prime Minister Narendra Modi has underscored India’s experiences in water management as a model for nations across the Global South. On October 6, he shared an article analyzing reforms implemented in Gujarat that later influenced national water programs. Modi emphasized that water security involves more than just physical infrastructure; it requires strategic planning, capable local systems, and active community participation. The article presents India’s journey as a practical example for countries facing increasing demand and mounting pressure on water resources.
Tracing water governance evolution over approximately 25 years, the article begins with reforms initiated in Gujarat during Modi’s tenure as chief minister. It highlights four key lessons for developing economies: strengthening governance, managing water resources and services collaboratively, fostering community ownership, and planning at scale. The approach incorporates a framework centered on political leadership, public financing, partnerships, and public involvement. These ideas are linked to national initiatives covering drinking water, sanitation, groundwater management, river conservation, and water-use efficiency.
One indicator of the scale achieved by India’s national programs is the expansion of rural drinking water access. According to Jal Jeevan Mission data, approximately 15.91 crore rural households had tap-water connections as of August 10, 2026, compared to about 3.23 crore households at the program’s launch in 2019. The focus of the scheme is on providing functional household tap connections to rural families, with current efforts emphasizing service quality, reliability, and long-term maintenance rather than infrastructure development alone.
Jal Jeevan Mission Moves Toward Service-Oriented Approach
Union Cabinet approved Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 in March 2026, extending its timeline through December 2028. The revised scheme has an approved budget of ₹8.69 lakh crore, including ₹3.59 lakh crore in central funding. The government shifted focus toward ensuring reliable, sufficient, and safe drinking water for rural households. States and union territories are also tasked with preparing integrated reform plans that address implementation, financing, and monitoring. The new structure emphasizes operating systems post-construction and maintaining services over the long term.
A key component of the updated framework is Sujalam Bharat, a national digital platform for mapping rural piped-water networks from source to household tap. Each village is assigned a unique service-area identity under this system. Its goal is to enhance planning, asset management, and accountability in water schemes. Community institutions continue to play vital roles, with village bodies and local governments involved in managing systems, monitoring service quality, and supporting maintenance under the broader rural water initiative.
Community Participation Remains Central to Water Governance
The article shared by Modi advocates for integrated management of water resources and water services. Infrastructure planning should consider the long-term availability of water feeding these systems. It also highlights the importance of local involvement, including institutions capable of overseeing village-level water services. This approach is reflected in current national reforms that link service delivery with governance, digital monitoring, and local management. These components form the core of India’s current message on water governance for other developing nations.
India’s model does not rely on a single program. It integrates rural tap-water expansion with groundwater management, sanitation efforts, conservation, and river-cleaning initiatives. The article presents this combination as a set of lessons rather than a one-size-fits-all blueprint for other countries. Modi’s October 6 remarks reiterated that water security depends on institutions and communities, as well as infrastructure. India’s latest reforms continue this trajectory by combining large-scale public investment with local management, digital oversight, and service standards.