The Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, today signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N), an autonomous scientific society under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India at CGO Complex, New Delhi.

The partnership marks a significant step towards the development of a GIS-integrated, decision-support platform for the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) [SBM(G)] portals. The new platform will enhance data-driven decision-making, planning, monitoring, and evaluation of rural water supply and sanitation initiatives across the country.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Shri Ashok K.K. Meena, Secretary, DDWS, who chaired the event. Smt. Swati Meena Naik, Joint Secretary (JJM) and Shri Vinay Thakur, Special Director General, BISAG-N exchanged the signed MoA in the presence of Shri Kamal Kishore Soan, AS&MD-NJJM, and senior officials from both the organizations.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ashok K. K. Meena, Secretary, DDWS; emphasized the importance of leveraging geospatial technologies to strengthen transparency, accountability, and efficiency in mission implementation. He stated that the collaboration with BISAG-N is expected to bring cutting-edge GIS capabilities to the existing digital infrastructure of JJM and SBM (G), enabling real-time visualization, analytics, and informed decision support.

The platform will also support the creation and mapping of Rural Piped Water Supply Schemes (RPWSS), enabling unique scheme-level IDs and will allow for granular monitoring of water delivery at the household level, facilitating convergence with other rural infrastructure initiatives.

Under the agreement, BISAG-N will provide end-to-end support including database design, map creation, data migration, software development, and systems integration. The platform will also incorporate advanced features such as ground control surveying, digital photogrammetry, vector data capture, and thematic mapping.

Importantly, the initiative will be aligned with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, enabling seamless integration of water and sanitation infrastructure with other sectoral assets. This convergence will help in optimizing resource allocation, improving service delivery, and accelerating infrastructure development in rural areas.

This collaboration aligns with the Government of India’s Digital India vision of harnessing technology for inclusive and sustainable development, particularly in rural areas. By integrating spatial intelligence with mission data, DDWS and BISAG-N aim to create a robust digital ecosystem that supports effective planning and monitoring of rural water and sanitation services.

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MAM/AK/SMP

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