Centre pushes convergence of VB-G RAM G funds with Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 for water security

The Union government has directed states to channel funds from the newly enacted Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025, towards drinking water source sustainability works under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0. The move aims to converge the two schemes for more effective rural water security.

In a joint communication to Principal Secretaries and Commissioners overseeing VB-G RAM G in states, Ashok K.K. Meena, Secretary of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, and Rohit Kansal, Secretary of the Department of Rural Development, stressed the need for integrated planning. They highlighted that works under JJM 2.0, greywater management, and sanitation and Solid & Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) under SBM(G) 2.0 should be incorporated into Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans (VGPPs).

The secretaries noted that the VB-G RAM G Act, which replaced MGNREGA from July 1, provides a statutory framework for community-led rural asset creation. Water security is one of its four thematic focus areas, given its role in livelihoods, agricultural productivity, and climate resilience.

They pointed out that JJM 2.0's core strategy—ensuring source sustainability, groundwater recharge, and greywater management—complements the new Act's provisions. States have been asked to prioritise water security in VGPP planning, including measures like rainwater harvesting, watershed development, check dams, and recharge structures, especially in water-stressed regions.

Furthermore, the letter directs states to register and geo-tag all convergent assets on the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack for transparent monitoring. These convergence arrangements are to be institutionalised in the current VGPP planning cycle to ensure that investments collectively bolster drinking water security and rural livelihoods.