IN A significant push to rural water access, the Central Government’s review of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) works in Sukma has highlighted the growing impact of solar-based drinking water solutions in some of Chhattisgarh’s most remote and difficult terrains. Additional Secretary to the Government of India and Mission Director of the National Jal Jeevan Mission, Kamal Kishore Soan, visited Dubbatota Panchayat’s Fayadaguda village on Friday to assess a solar pumpbased drinking water scheme implemented under the mission. He was accompanied by Sukma Collector Amit Kumar and senior district officials. During the visit, the Central team carried out a detailed ground inspection and directly interacted with villagers to understand the functionality and reliability of the water supply system. Engaging with village sarpanch Parsek Dule, the team sought information on population coverage, operational timeline of the overhead tank, previous drinking water sources and the current supply mechanism.

 

Villagers shared their experiences, including earlier hardships and improvements brought by the scheme, prompting officials to take note of issues requiring immediate attention. Soan emphasised that the objective of the JJM extends beyond laying pipelines, stressing that sustained and safe drinking water supply at the household level remains the core goal. A key highlight of the inspection was the appreciation of the Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) for its role in deploying solarpowered drinking water systems in inaccessible and Naxal-affected regions. Officials noted that in areas where conventional electricity infrastructure is either weak or non-existent, solar pump schemes have emerged as a viable and sustainable alternative, ensuring regular water supply. At the village level, the impact has been tangible. Residents of Fayadaguda reported that the availability of clean drinking water near their homes has significantly reduced the burden of fetching water from distant sources. Officials present during the inspection included Additional Mission Director Onkesh Chandravanshi, Chief Engineer G.L. Lakhera, Superintending Engineer Kailash Madhariya, SDM Subhash Shukla, Janpad CEO Sumit Dhruv and SDO Gaurav Sonakiya.