New Delhi, March 23 -- The Centre is signing new agreements with states to tighten oversight of the next phase of the Jal Jeevan Mission, with Jal Shakti minister CR Patil on Sunday saying the revamped programme to link rural households with piped water will focus on accountability and verifiable supply. Ahead of the rollout, the water ministry has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with nine states so far under new guidelines aimed at enforcing a "zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, ensuring quality and transparency", an official said. The states include Maharashtra, Haryana, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. In its first phase, the programme's coverage expanded rapidly across the country, but several audits flagged financial irregularities by contractors in many states. With a revamp being planned, fund releases to states slowed sharply, with only Rs.31 crore released until February 12, 2026. The renewed focus is on "structural reforms and accountability, ensuring that rural households receive regular, adequate and safe drinking water on a long-term basis", Patil said. The scheme, which aims to connect all 193.5 million rural households with running water by the end of 2024, has now been extended till December 2028. Nearly 158.2 million families, or 81.5% of the total households, now have tap connections, up from 16.72% when the mission was launched in 2019. The MoUs underline that accountability must guide all projects, aligning with new objectives of the programme, said drinking water secretary Ashok KK Meena. "The new guidelines lay down a comprehensive roadmap for strengthening governance of rural drinking water services," he said. htc...