Chandigarh, March 25 -- The Haryana cabinet on Tuesday approved operation and maintenance policy - a decentralised and participatory model - to run rural drinking water supply on government-community partnership (GCP) basis by setting up rural local bodies (RLBs).

The decision taken in the cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of chief minister Nayab Singh Saini is aimed at aligning with the objectives of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which emphasises a community-managed approach, a government spokesperson said.

The cornerstone of the new policy is to establish and empower "Village Water and Sewerage Committee" (VWSC) under the gram panchayat even as it will function on a GCP model. The public health engineering department will provid...