As MLAs cutting across party lines alleged a major scandal in the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, on Saturday announced the formation of a House Committee to investigate the alleged irregularities.
The House Committee was constituted to probe alleged acts of commission and omission in the Jal Jeevan Mission, which oversees water supply across the region. The decision comes amid growing concerns among MLAs over a lack of transparency and widespread irregularities in the department's functioning.
While announcing the formation of the House Committee, the Speaker said there had been a persistent demand from several legislators for its constitution since the beginning of the Budget session.
"The House is supreme, and there is no harm in forming a House Committee to probe the alleged irregularities in JJM," the Speaker maintained.
Lawmakers Demand House Committee on March 5
On March 5, members of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, in unison, alleged corruption and mismanagement in the Jal Jeevan Mission. They demanded the formation of a House Committee to investigate the matter.
Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Rana, assured the House that action would be taken against officials who provided misleading answers. He also announced an inquiry into an alleged nexus between contractors and the department in a specific constituency.
Several MLAs, including Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat, National Conference's Ali Mohammad Dar, AAP's Mehraj Malik, BJP's Baldev Raj, and Congress Legislative Party leader G.A. Mir, accused the government of inefficiency and mismanagement in implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission.
They alleged that many rural areas still lacked proper water supply despite the funds allocated. In response, the minister assured the House that recent rains had helped recharge water sources and that the government was working on a war footing to complete the pending projects.
Congress leader G.A. Mir called the Jal Jeevan Mission a "big scam" in Jammu and Kashmir and demanded a thorough investigation.
Responding to the growing demand for a House Committee probe, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather advised members to raise the issue during the department's grant discussions.
Former IAS Officer Flags Scam
Former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Ashok Parmar was the first to flag a Rs 13,000 crore scam in JJM. Later, political parties, including the Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), vociferously took up the issue to corner the government.
The JJM scheme aims to provide potable drinking water through household taps in all rural areas by 2024.
House Passes Grants for Irrigation and Flood Control
Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly passed demands for grants amounting to Rs 1,57,671.32 lakh for the Irrigation and Flood Control Department.
Winding up the discussion on the Demands for Grants, Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Ahmed Rana, expressed his gratitude to the MLAs for their valuable suggestions and constructive observations.
Speaking about the Jal Shakti department, Rana emphasized the government's commitment to providing "Har Ghar Nal Se Jal" to all rural households. He noted that resources from the Jal Jeevan Mission, NABARD, and the UT Capex were being utilized to supply 55 liters of clean drinking water per capita daily, conforming to BIS 10000 and 10500 standards.
"To achieve this objective, J&K has planned the execution of 3,253 Water Supply Schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 13,344.25 crore. These will provide new tap water connections and upgrade existing connections under previous programs to make them JJM-compliant by constructing new infrastructure and retrofitting existing systems where necessary," the minister stated.
Reflecting on the achievements, he highlighted that significant progress had been made in implementing the Mission over the past two and a half years. More than 1,400 (43%) Water Supply Schemes have been completed to date, while out of the remaining 1,853 schemes, about 1,500 have recorded a progress of over 50%.
Regarding expenditure, he noted that spending on ongoing works had increased from Rs 441 crore in the first three years to Rs 6,560 crore on new projects over the past three years.
