Jaipur, March 17 (IANS) In a significant milestone towards realising the vision of ‘Har Ghar Jal’ (water for every household), Rajasthan has become the first state in the country to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti under the new guidelines of Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0.

The MoU was signed on Tuesday at the Ministry of Jal Shakti in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister C.R. Paatil, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Public Health Engineering Minister Kanhaiya Lal.

Chief Minister Sharma expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the initiative.

He said the State Government, prioritising public welfare, had urged the Centre to facilitate the agreement under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

Following approval from the Centre, the MoU was finalised.

The Chief Minister said the agreement marks a transformative step towards strengthening Rajasthan’s water‑supply infrastructure and ensuring every household has access to safe drinking water.

He reaffirmed that the state’s “Double Engine” government remains committed to providing clean drinking water to every household.

He said the initiative would ensure water availability even in remote rural areas, significantly improving living standards, particularly for women, by enhancing convenience, safety and quality of life.

He further noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Jal Jeevan Mission is being implemented with renewed focus in its expanded form, emphasising efficiency, accountability and transparency.

He said the MoU will play a pivotal role in ensuring regular and safe tap‑water supply to every rural household, improving service delivery, meeting time‑bound targets and strengthening transparency mechanisms.

Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti V. Somanna, Additional Chief Secretary (Water Supply) Akhil Arora and other senior Central Government officials were also present.

Earlier, the Chief Minister stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has witnessed transformative progress since 2014.

He highlighted the Prime Minister’s commitment to the upliftment of farmers, youth, women and labourers, and noted that various welfare and development schemes have enhanced India’s global standing.

He also emphasised the growth of a strong startup ecosystem, providing youth with platforms to innovate.

Sharma outlined several key provisions in the 2026-27 Budget aimed at youth empowerment. These include interest‑free loans for 5,000 tribal youth under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Swarozgar Yojana; the establishment of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Global Centre for Advanced Skilling in Jaipur; the setting up of ICT laboratories in 50 polytechnic colleges; and the promotion of district‑specific products under the One District, One Product initiative.

He added that economic reforms and improvements in the Ease of Doing Business are yielding results, with Rajasthan’s per capita income surpassing Rs 2 lakh for the first time.

Highlighting future‑focused development, the Chief Minister said the government is accelerating key water projects, including the Ramjal Setu Link Project, the Dewas Project, the Yamuna Water Agreement, the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project (IGNP), and the Ganganahar and Mahi Project.

--IANS

arc/dan