Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): Haryana is set to significantly decentralize its rural water management system by assigning village communities a central role in planning, monitoring, and maintaining their local water supply infrastructure. Under the newly formulated Rural Water Supply Scheme Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Policy-2026, the state government aims to shift the responsibility of operating and sustaining drinking water networks to local bodies. Reviewing the initiative during a high-level meeting, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi directed administrative officers to develop model villages in every district to ensure the effective implementation of this citizen-centric framework.
Chief Secretary Rastogi emphasized that while creating initial infrastructure is vital, the long-term sustainability of safe drinking water systems requires continuous monitoring, strong institutional backing, and active community participation. To execute this vision, the Village Water and Sewerage Committees (VWSCs) have been entrusted with critical administrative duties. Public Health Engineering Department Commissioner and Secretary J. Ganesan revealed that these local committees will handle everything from initial project planning and infrastructure management to consumer billing, water tariff collection, record-keeping, and grievance redressal in coordination with departmental technical teams.
A notable feature of the O&M Policy-2026 is its mandatory push for gender inclusivity, securing at least 50 percent participation for women within the Village Water and Sewerage Committees. Furthermore, women associated with local self-help groups are being actively integrated into essential operations, including bill distribution, tariff collection, water quality testing, and local dispute resolution. Officials noted that this strategic involvement will not only streamline public service delivery but will also open up additional livelihood and employment opportunities for rural women.
To boost transparency and operational efficiency, the administration is incorporating modern technology into the rural water grid. Consumers will have access to digital payment facilities through Bharat BillPay and other online applications, making tariff clearance seamless. Additionally, an integrated grievance redressal system has been deployed via web portals, service applications, and a dedicated toll-free helpline at 1800-180-5678. The Public Health Engineering Department has been authorized to ensure that all logged consumer complaints are legally resolved within the timelines mandated under the Right to Service Act. The meeting, which reviewed the financial incentive mechanisms and fund-flow models to assist gram panchayats with maintenance costs, saw the attendance of Additional Chief Secretary of Development and Panchayats Vijayendra Kumar, Director Anish Yadav, and other senior bureaucrats.
