Meghalaya MLA alleges irregularities in Jal Jeevan Mission, cites ‘bogus tap connection’ in his name

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Jal Jeevan mission (JJM) on August 15, 2019, with the aim of providing tap water to each rural home by 2024. File photo | Photo credit: the Hindu

Guwahati: A MLA of the Trinamool Congress has cited a “false” connection in its name to underline irregularities in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan (JJM) mission in Meghalaya.

Mizanur Rahman Kazi, who repeats the constitution of the Rajabala Assembly in the West Garo Hills district, said his inspection of an increase project that exposes the government’s claim that JJM schemeI was going very well in the state.

“The web portal showed 100% completion of the project in Nekikona (Village), but we discovered that progress was a maximum of 15%,” he said.

“If that were not enough, a tap connection in my house in my name only exists on paper,” Kazi said, wondering how a central government scheme could be implemented solidly.

“The JJM is not the only scheme sponsored by the center that will suffer in Meghalaya. There is also a big difference between the statements and the reality of the government in the public distribution system,” he said.

The MLA demanded severe action against officials and implementation agencies involved in the JJM scheme.

The West Garo Hills district authorities said they were investigating the accusations of the MLA.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the JJM in August 2019, promising to provide each rural home a functional tap connection by 2024.

According to the JJM panel, 5.29,885 of the households of Meghalaya 6.50.914 selected have received water connections from the tap since the launch of the scheme. The implementation rate is 81.98%.

The state government, headed by the National Party of the People of Conrad K. Sangma, has now established December 2025 as the final deadline. The Bharatiya Janata party is a minor component of the government.

The board also said that 4,123 of the 6,456 specific villages have reached a 100% household connection, while water supply work is in progress in 2,322 villages.

Among the districts of Meghalayas 12, South Garo Hills has registered the greatest progress with 90.82% of households that receive tap water connections. East Jintia Hills, the district of worse performance, has registered 66.7% of JJM connections so far.