Kumar Bahukhandi
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai chairs a review of water conservation and Jal Jeevan Mission works at the Chief Minister’s residence office in Raipur on Thursday, September 10, 2026. Photo Credit: channel24india.comvia CMO
Chief Minister directs departments to complete water conservation and Jal Jeevan Mission works in mission mode, with March 2028 deadline for water structures
Key Highlights
- March 2028 deadline set for completion of targeted water structures.
- Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari works to be accelerated with greater community participation.
- Korea, Dhamtari and Rajnandgaon among districts appreciated for their performance.
- Collectors to conduct regular district-wise reviews of Jal Jeevan Mission.
- Administrative and technical bottlenecks to be resolved without delay.
- No compromise on construction quality despite time-bound targets.
- Payments for satisfactorily completed works to be cleared promptly.
- Focus not merely on tap infrastructure but on regular supply of clean drinking water to households.
Raipur: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday , September 10, 2026 said water conservation and the supply of clean drinking water to every household are among the Chhattisgarh Government’s highest priorities, stressing that water security is not merely a present-day requirement but an investment in the future of coming generations.
Chairing a review meeting of the Water Resources and Public Health Engineering departments at the Chief Minister’s residence office in Raipur, Sai directed officials to accelerate the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari campaign and the Jal Jeevan Mission, with particular emphasis on quality, timely completion and measurable benefits reaching households.
“Water conservation is not only a necessity of the present; it is directly linked to securing the future of coming generations,” Sai said.
He directed officials to complete all targeted water structures by March 2028, while ensuring that construction quality is not compromised in the effort to meet deadlines.
Public Participation at the Heart of Water Conservation
Reviewing district-wise progress under the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari campaign, the Chief Minister said water conservation should not remain confined to a government programme. It must develop into a broad public movement involving communities across the state.
Several districts recorded notable progress during 2025–26, and Sai asked all districts not merely to meet assigned targets but to attempt to surpass them.
During a presentation on district-wise performance, the Chief Minister appreciated the work undertaken in Korea, Dhamtari and Rajnandgaon, among other districts. He said successful practices adopted by better-performing districts should be studied and replicated elsewhere.
Water Resources Department Secretary Rajesh Kumar Toppo informed the meeting that Chhattisgarh was among the country’s leading performers under the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari campaign.
Sai also directed officials to take forward the preparation of notified maps for all districts under the campaign. Progress will be reviewed regularly at the Chief Secretary level.
“There should be continuous monitoring of water conservation works in every district. Deficiencies must be addressed immediately, and there can be no compromise on the quality of construction,” the Chief Minister said.
Chhattisgarh’s Water Conservation Model Gains Recognition
The Chief Minister said sustained results in water conservation would be possible only when active participation by society complements government efforts.
Chhattisgarh, he said, has an opportunity to establish itself firmly among the country’s leading states in water conservation by combining administrative action with public participation.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai chairs a review meeting of the Water Resources and Public Health Engineering departments at the Chief Minister’s residence office in Raipur on Thursday, September 10, 2026, directing officials to accelerate water conservation and Jal Jeevan Mission works across Chhattisgarh. Photo credit:channel24india.com via CMO
The focus should extend beyond achieving immediate targets to creating long-term water security, protecting water sources and preparing districts for future demand.
Jal Jeevan Mission: Focus Shifts to Remaining Works
Reviewing the Jal Jeevan Mission, Sai said its central objective under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership is to provide clean drinking water through household tap connections.
He directed that all remaining works in Chhattisgarh be taken forward in mission mode.
District collectors have been asked to regularly review progress and immediately resolve administrative, technical or implementation-related obstacles that could delay projects.
The Chief Minister stressed that construction of infrastructure alone could not be treated as the final measure of success.
“The real objective is to ensure that families actually receive adequate and clean drinking water regularly,” he said.
For this, he called for closer coordination among district administrations, the Public Health Engineering Department, Water Resources Department and other agencies involved in implementation.
No Unnecessary Delay in Payments
Sai also reviewed payments for completed works under the Jal Jeevan Mission and directed officials to ensure that projects completed in accordance with prescribed standards and quality requirements are paid for without unnecessary delay.
Problems and deficiencies identified during district-level reviews should be resolved on priority so that pending projects do not lose momentum, he said.
Water Security to Become a District-Level Priority
The Chief Minister directed collectors to treat both water conservation and household drinking-water supply as priority responsibilities.
District-specific action plans should take local conditions, existing water resources and future requirements into account. Coordination among departments must also be strengthened to ensure that conservation initiatives and drinking-water schemes complement each other.
Sai said the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari campaign and Jal Jeevan Mission directly affect the everyday lives of citizens. Effective implementation would improve drinking-water access today while simultaneously building a stronger foundation for future water security.
“Our goal is a Chhattisgarh where water is conserved effectively, water sources remain secure and enriched, and every family has easy access to adequate and clean drinking water,” the Chief Minister said.
Chief Secretary Vikas Sheel; Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Subodh Kumar Singh; Secretary to the Chief Minister P. Dayanand; Water Resources Department Secretary R. S. Toppo; Public Health Engineering Department Secretary Abdul Kaiser Haq; Special Secretary to the Chief Minister Rajat Bansal; Joint Secretary Prabhat Malik and other senior officials attended the meeting.
