Building the digital backbone for Viksit Bharat 2047: Sujalam Bharat integrates every rural water scheme into a Unified System
Villages to get real-time access to rural drinking water supply assets
States/UTs trained to operationalize the new platform nationwide
The Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil today launched the Sujalam Bharat App, a key digital initiative designed to transform rural drinking water governance by placing comprehensive, real-time information in the hands of both citizens and institutions. The app has been developed with the support of Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) to enable advanced geo-referencing, monitoring and management of rural water supply infrastructure under Jal Jeevan Mission.
In his address, the Union Minister emphasised the significance of the initiative, stating that “this is a very important launch for Jal Jeevan Mission, marking a major step forward in ensuring greater transparency and strengthening community ownership in rural drinking water supply systems.”
Shri Ashok K.K. Meena, Secretary, DDWS, addressed the representatives of States/UTs and outlined the importance of timely data integration and structured adoption of the Sujalam Bharat platform.
Shri T.P. Singh, Director General, BISAG-N, gave an overview of the technological architecture of the Sujalam Bharat App and the Sujalam Bharat Database. He also elaborated on how the unified system will support States and districts in adopting a structured approach to digital operations and maintenance of rural water supply schemes.
The event witnessed online participation from representatives of all States and Union Territories, reinforcing the nationwide commitment to strengthened water governance.
It marks a major step in operationalizing the Sujalam Bharat Database. Each scheme and its service area will be assigned a unique Sujalam Bharat – Sujal Gaon ID, enabling clear identification of which scheme is supplying water to which households.
Following the launch, a detailed training and orientation session was conducted for all States and Union Territories by the BISAG-N technical team, focusing on the operational use of the Sujalam Bharat App, geo-referencing procedures, and integration of rural water supply assets on the Sujalam Bharat platform.
The session ensured that State officials receive hands-on guidance to seamlessly adopt the new system and strengthen on-ground implementation.
A Unified, Digital View of Every Rural Water Scheme
The Sujalam Bharat Database integrates critical data including water sources, asset inventories, scheme designs, operational records, water quality reports, supply metrics, and community feedback into a single platform. With the introduction of the Sujal Gaon ID, every habitation will have a clear digital profile showing:
- Its source of drinking water (local or bulk supply)
- The nature and condition of its infrastructure
- Supply reliability
- Water quality status
- O&M arrangements
This platform will ensure transparency in the performance of Gram Panchayats/VWSCs and service providers, thereby promoting community participation and oversight.
In his closing remarks, Shri Kamal Kishore Soan, AS&MD-NJJM underscored that this is an important exercise for all States and UTs in strengthening the digital backbone of Jal Jeevan Mission. He thanked the participating States/UTs for their engagement and urged them to prepare a clear action plan and ensure timely data submission so that implementation progresses smoothly without any constraints or bottlenecks.
Strengthening Long-Term Sustainability and Planning
The Sujalam Bharat digital registry will securely maintain the history of infrastructure condition, maintenance activities, and service-level performance, supporting more reliable operations and long-term sustainability. The platform’s integration with PM Gati Shakti GIS provides up-to-date geospatial mapping of rural water networks, supporting future planning, repair, and expansion with greater precision.
The launch of the Sujalam Bharat App is therefore a milestone toward a secure, reliable, and technology-enabled rural drinking water ecosystem, ensuring every household continues to receive safe water services sustainably.
In summary: Just as Aadhaar became the backbone of India’s identity system, Sujalam Bharat – Sujal Gaon ID will serve as the identity of rural water management, forming the very foundation of a transparent, accountable and citizen-centric service delivery framework.
The Sujalam Bharat App will be available for download from the Google Play Store very soon.
Source: PIB
