Rajiv Chandrashekhar writes to Priyank Kharge, says pace of Jal Jeevan Mission in Karnataka cause of concern

New Delhi [India], February 22 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Rajeev Chandrasekhar has written to Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge saying that the present pace of work on the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scheme in the state is "cause of concern" for timely achieving the goal of the mission and called for prompt corrective measures.
Sources said the union minister said in his letter that a recent review of the JJM progress in Karnataka has revealed that the state "is lagging the envisaged Action Plan". Priyank Kharge is Karnataka Minister for IT/BT and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj
"I take this opportunity to thank you for your commitment towards time-bound implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in your state for providing clean tap water supply to every rural household by 2024. As JJM is in its final phase, it necessitates a well-devised strategy for prioritised implementation and monitoring of the progress under the mission. A recent review of the JJM progress in the State of Karnataka has revealed that the state is lagging the envisaged Action Plan and needs a thorough review and corrective measures at an appropriate level," the union minister is learnt to have said in his letter.
The union minister said that at the start of Jal Jeevan Mission, 24.51 lakh (24.23 per cent) rural households were reported to have tap water connections in Karnataka.
Since then, additional 49.96 lakh rural households have been provided with tap water connections under JJM and as of February 5, 2024, out of 101.16 lakh rural households in Karnataka, around 74.48 lakh (73.63 per cent) households are reported to have tap water supplies, he said.
Sources said Chandrasekhar, who is also Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, said that the performance of state has slowed down in 2023-24 compared to previous years and the state has provided 7.1 lakh tap water connection in 2023-24 compared to 18.70 lakh and 20.56 lakh connections in FY 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.
"You will appreciate that the present pace of work/ implementation is a cause for concern for achieving the goal of the mission on time. I am sure that prompt corrective measures, in collaboration with my department, will undoubtedly expedite the noble objective of provisioning tap water connections to every household in the state. This will ensure availability of safe drinking water to those who have been waiting for this basic facility for decades," the union minister is learnt to have said.
The Jal Jeevan Mission is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India. (ANI)