Union Minister for Jal Shakti C R Patil today said that the Jal Jeevan Mission has transformed the lives of rural families by taking tap water connections to crores of households. Addressing the Grand Finale of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation Innovation Challenge in New Delhi, he said the next phase of the Jal Jeevan Mission must focus on ensuring safe drinking water alongside universal tap water coverage.

He called upon start-ups and innovators to develop affordable, scalable and community-friendly solutions for rural India. The Minister said low-cost, portable water quality testing technologies are essential for Gram Panchayats, Village Water and Sanitation Committees, Self-Help Groups and local youth. Referring to rising plastic waste in villages, he stressed the need for decentralised solutions to process waste locally and promote a circular economy while creating livelihood opportunities under the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.

The Innovation Challenge, organised by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology Madras, focused on innovations for safe drinking water under Jal Jeevan Mission and small-scale plastic waste management under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen).