Dariyapur village has become the first gram panchayat in Fatehabad block to take over the operation and maintenance of its drinking water supply system under the Haryana Government’s Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Policy-2026.
The decision was taken during a gram sabha meeting held on World Environment Day, where villagers also discussed environmental conservation and participated in a plantation drive. On the occasion, sarpanch Suman Rani signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the management and upkeep of the rural water supply system, formally bringing the responsibility under the panchayat’s control.
Sharma Chand Lali, district consultant, Public Health Engineering Department, said the objective of the policy was to ensure clean and uninterrupted drinking water in rural areas through greater community participation. Under the new arrangement, the gram panchayat would be responsible for monitoring pipelines, operating water pumps and addressing issues related to water distribution within the village. The move is expected to improve service delivery and increase accountability at the local level.
Lali said the government was promoting local participation and encouraging women-led governance in rural development initiatives. He added that involving panchayats directly in managing essential services would help improve efficiency and ensure quicker resolution of public grievances.
Village representatives expressed confidence that the drinking water management system would become more effective under the leadership of Suman Rani and that residents would benefit from a more reliable supply of clean drinking water. They described the initiative as an important step towards building a self-reliant gram panchayat and strengthening local governance in rural areas.
Among those present at the event were sarpanch representative Suresh Kumar, district consultant Sharma Chand Lali, village secretary Roshan Lal, Balbir Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Shamsher Singh and several other villagers.
