In order to motivate panchayats to achieve drinking water security and safety for all households in their panchayat on a sustainable basis, the rural development ministry has proposed the introduction of Sajal Gram Puraskar (SJP).

Modeled on the lines of the Nirmal Gram Puraskar (NGP) under its total sanitation campaign, the SJP will be a cash award to villages that meet the targets set under this scheme. To be eligible for the award the panchayats should have met the following conditions:

* The concerned gram panchayat must have received NGP and must have sustained NGP status to eliminate chances of bacteriological contamination of drinking water sources

* All households in the panchayat have drinking water supply through metered household tap connections within their premises

* Drinking water supply is available on a 24x7 basis

* All households to have recharge or roof?water harvesting structures within their premises

* Conjunctive use of ground, surface and roof water sources with ground water contributing not more than 50% of the total water supply

* The GP should have a working system of community monitoring of ground water levels and crop water budgeting by the community in water stressed areas.

The panchayats that become eligible for the award will be scrutinised by a selection committee under the zilla panchayat that would send teams from other panchayats and officials for verification and recommend the eligible ones to the state government.

At the second stage the state governments will have an independent verification done through reputed organisations. Following the state government’s verification and recommendation of the panchayats, the central government would engage independent evaluators or multi?disciplinary teams to assess the status of drinking water security achieved by the panchayat.

The winner of the award will receive a cash incentive of Rs 2 lakh (for population upto 2,000) and Rs 4 lakh (for population more than 4,000).