Jal Mitra: Ensuring Sustainability of Water Supply Infrastructure and Management

Specialized skills are essential for the operation, maintenance, and management of rural water supply infrastructure, as well as for augmenting local water availability. Simultaneously, establishing an IT-based platform that connects consumers, vendors, and technicians is critical to ensuring the efficiency and long-term sustainability of these systems.

The ‘Jal Mitra’ project addressed these twin needs to secure the sustainability of infrastructure built for universal access to drinking water. Focused on the drought-prone Bundelkhand region of India, the project aimed to upskill local youth and deploy a dedicated digital platform to connect them directly with consumers and local hardware vendors. To ensure long-term success and strengthen the capacity of local communities to effectively manage their water systems, TERI developed a comprehensive training manual in both Hindi and English. The curriculum covers essential aspects of water infrastructure, including supply systems, Operation and Maintenance (O&M) techniques, tools and equipment handling, plumbing basics, water quality standards, and augmentation strategies like rainwater harvesting and pond rejuvenation.

Building on this framework, the project successfully rolled out key capacity-building initiatives. The first training program, "Capacity Building Training Program for Local Youth on Operation, Maintenance and Management of Water Infrastructure," was organized in Jhansi and Banda with 138 participants, partnering closely with UP Jal Nigam (Rural). This was followed by a second training program in Jhansi focused on a "Demonstration and Hands-on Training of the Jal Mitra App," which engaged 102 participants including local youth and UP Jal Nigam (Rural).

Additionally, a national conference was organized at the India Habitat Centre (IHC), New Delhi, bringing together 102 stakeholders from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, UP Jal Nigam (Rural), and youth representatives from Jhansi, Mahoba, Hamirpur, Banda, and Chitrakoot. Central to these efforts is the Jal Mitra App, a bilingual (Hindi and English) IT platform designed for seamless operations. Equipped with real-time tracking, feedback loops, and secure monitoring, the app bridges communication gaps between users, vendors, and technicians to deliver efficient water management services for both residential and commercial needs.