Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday shared an article by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil that highlights India’s transformative journey in water management over the past decade, emphasizing how integrated policymaking, large-scale infrastructure development and active public participation have reshaped the country’s approach to water security.
Sharing the article on X, the Prime Minister noted that government initiatives have addressed challenges related to drinking water supply, sanitation, river conservation, irrigation efficiency, groundwater recharge and wastewater reuse through a holistic and interconnected framework.
The article also underscores the role of responsive governance and citizen participation in achieving these outcomes.
In his article titled “Water Security is Central for a Viksit Bharat”, Paatil described water security as a cornerstone of India’s development journey and highlighted major achievements under flagship programmes launched during PM Modi’s tenure.
Paatil said India’s water sector has witnessed unprecedented investment and execution over the last twelve years, with water being treated as a shared national priority that cuts across departments, states and communities. Unlike earlier fragmented approaches, the current strategy integrates drinking water, sanitation, river rejuvenation, groundwater management and climate resilience into a single ecosystem-based framework.
One of the most significant achievements highlighted in the article is the success of the Jal Jeevan Mission, described as the world’s largest rural drinking water supply programme.
When the mission was launched in 2019, only about 3.23 crore rural households—roughly 17 per cent of rural homes – had access to tap water connections. Today, more than 15.8 crore rural households, covering over 81 per cent of rural India, receive tap water supply at home. The government aims to achieve universal rural tap water coverage by 2028.
Paatil notes that the impact of the programme extends beyond water access. Prior to the mission, rural women spent billions of hours each year collecting water from distant sources. With the expansion of household tap water connections, India is now saving more than 5.5 crore person-hours every day. This time is being redirected towards education, livelihood activities, childcare and income-generating opportunities.
Improved access to safe drinking water has also helped reduce healthcare expenditures associated with water-borne diseases, contributing to better public health outcomes.
Paatil also highlights the achievements of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), which Patil describes as the world’s largest rural sanitation movement.
According to assessments by the World Health Organization, Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen helped avert more than three lakh diarrhoea-related deaths between 2014 and October 2019. Beyond health benefits, the construction of millions of household toilets improved dignity, privacy and safety for rural women across the country.
Having achieved widespread open defecation-free status, the programme has now entered its second phase, focusing on sustainable solid and liquid waste management under SBM-Grameen 2.0.
Another major achievement outlined in the article is India’s large-scale effort to improve water conservation and groundwater recharge.
Under the “Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari” initiative, more than 1.55 crore rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge structures have been created across the country as of May 31, 2026. The initiative has contributed to improved groundwater recharge and a reduction in the number of over-exploited groundwater assessment units in several regions.
Patil said the results demonstrate that sustained conservation efforts, combined with community participation, can successfully reverse environmental stress and improve water sustainability.
Paatil also points to progress in major national water infrastructure projects. The Ken-Betwa River Linking Project, India’s first major river interlinking initiative, is moving forward at an accelerated pace. The project aims to transfer water from the Ken River basin to the water-scarce Bundelkhand region, benefiting millions of people in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
River conservation efforts under the Namami Gange programme were also highlighted as a key success story.
Paatil said the government has created 4,260 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage treatment capacity over the past decade. During the same period, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels in the Ganga declined significantly from 26 tonnes per day in 2017 to 10.75 tonnes per day in 2024. Industrial effluent discharge into the river has also been reduced from 349 MLD to 265.56 MLD.
Monitoring data now indicates that pH and dissolved oxygen levels in the Ganga meet bathing-quality standards at all monitored locations, reflecting substantial improvements in river health.
Patil said that India’s experience offers an important lesson for the world, namely that water challenges in the 21st century cannot be addressed through isolated interventions. Instead, drinking water, sanitation, irrigation efficiency, river conservation, wastewater reuse, groundwater management and climate adaptation must be viewed as interconnected components of a broader water ecosystem.
Paatil further notes that climate change is making integrated water management even more critical for India. Although the country is home to nearly 18 per cent of the world’s population, it possesses only about 4 per cent of global freshwater resources. Rapid urbanisation, increasing demand and changing weather patterns are expected to place additional pressure on water resources in the coming decades.
Given these challenges, Patil described current investments in water infrastructure and conservation as long-term investments in national resilience rather than mere developmental expenditures.
Looking ahead, the government plans to continue focusing on improving water-use efficiency, promoting water recycling and reuse, strengthening water governance mechanisms and encouraging greater citizen participation in conservation efforts.
Paatil concludes that the progress achieved over the past decade demonstrates the transformative potential of combining responsive governance, public participation and sustained policy focus to achieve national development goals. As India moves towards its vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047, water security is expected to remain a central pillar of economic growth, public health, environmental sustainability and social well-being.
