Centre urges states, UTs to align MGNREGA plans with water conservation

New Delhi, Oct 30: The Centre on Thursday urged states and Union Territories to align their MGNREGA plans with the recent decision mandating dedicated expenditure on water-related works, including recharge, water harvesting and source protection.

It also called for the creation of ‘Protected Drinking Water Zones’, enforcement of inspection protocols and stronger community vigilance through Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs).

The appeal came during the second edition of the ‘District Collectors’ Peyjal Samvad’, organised by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti to strengthen local water governance and promote source sustainability of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).s