Jaipur, March 17 (NationPress) In a groundbreaking development towards achieving the goal of ‘Har Ghar Jal’ (water for every household), Rajasthan has become the pioneering state in India to formalize a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, as per the updated guidelines of Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0.

The signing ceremony took place on Tuesday at the Ministry of Jal Shakti in New Delhi, attended by Union Minister C.R. Paatil, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, and Public Health Engineering Minister Kanhaiya Lal.

Chief Minister Sharma expressed his appreciation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this significant initiative.

He stated that the State Government, focused on public welfare, had requested the Centre to enable this agreement under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

With the Centre's approval, the MoU was successfully concluded.

The Chief Minister emphasized that this agreement represents a transformative advancement in enhancing Rajasthan’s water-supply infrastructure, ensuring that every household has access to safe drinking water.

He reiterated that the state’s “Double Engine” government is dedicated to providing clean drinking water to all households.

This initiative is expected to guarantee water availability even in remote rural areas, significantly improving living standards, especially for women, by enhancing convenience, safety, and overall quality of life.

He further mentioned that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Jal Jeevan Mission is being executed with a renewed emphasis on efficiency, accountability, and transparency.

The MoU is set to play a crucial role in delivering regular and safe tap water to every rural household, boosting service delivery, achieving time-bound goals, and enhancing transparency.

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

Earlier, the Chief Minister remarked that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has experienced remarkable progress since 2014.

He highlighted the Prime Minister’s dedication to improving the lives of farmers, youth, women, and laborers, and pointed out that various welfare and development initiatives have elevated India’s position on the global stage.

He also emphasized the emergence of a robust startup ecosystem, offering youth opportunities for innovation.

Sharma outlined several significant provisions in the 2026-27 Budget aimed at empowering the youth. 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 creation of ICT laboratories in 50 polytechnic colleges, and the promotion of district-specific products through the One District, One Product initiative.

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

Highlighting a future-focused agenda, the Chief Minister stated that the government is expediting key water projects, including the Ramjal Setu Link Project, Dewas Project, Yamuna Water Agreement, Indira Gandhi Nahar Project (IGNP), and the Ganganahar and Mahi Project.