The Jammu and Kashmir administration failed to secure the complete central assistance earmarked for the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) owing to delays in fund utilization and an inability to meet the stipulated conditions for fund release, a comprehensive report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has highlighted. The flagship JJM scheme, launched on August 15, 2019, aims to provide functional household tap connections (FHTCs) to every rural household across the country.
Information reaching Tahir Rihat suggests that a performance audit of the scheme, spanning the period from 2019-20 to 2023-24, uncovered significant shortcomings in the institutional mechanisms established for the program’s effective implementation in Jammu and Kashmir. The audit identified deficiencies such as a failure to convene the required number of meetings for the District Water Sanitation Mission, a lack of a bottom-up approach in developing action plans, and the non-preparation of district-level annual action plans. These procedural lapses contributed to an accumulation of idle funds, protracted scheme execution, and delayed access to potable water for rural residents.
The CAG report explicitly stated that the accumulation of idle balances, coupled with delayed project execution and consequently delayed access to potable water for rural households, prevented the Government of Jammu & Kashmir from receiving its full allocation of central assistance. The audit further revealed substantial shortfalls in achieving the targets set for FHTCs under state action plans, with figures ranging from a low of 6 percent to a high of 93 percent. As of March 31, 2024, the administration reported that 14,43,515 households, representing 77.15 percent of the total, had been provided with FHTCs. Despite considerable fund allocations, the initial years of the mission were marked by persistent underutilization of available resources.
Further scrutiny indicated that only 44 percent of the total schemes, amounting to 1,440 out of 3,253, initiated under the JJM between 2019-20 and 2023-24, had been completed as of December 2024. The report also pointed out that the release of funds for support activities fell significantly short of the prescribed ceiling, ranging from a mere 0.17 percent to 3.3 percent against the allocated 5 percent. Similarly, for Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance (WQM&S) activities, the expenditure ranged from 0.08 percent to 1.07 percent, falling below the allocated 2 percent. This non-adherence to funding allocations and poor utilization in crucial support and WQM&S components, particularly after 2021-22, suggests a diminished emphasis on vital activities like water quality surveillance, community awareness campaigns, and institutional capacity building.
In a sample audit of 853 schemes undertaken in four selected districts—Kulgam, Anantnag, Kishtwar, and Doda—only 429 schemes had reached physical completion by November 2024. A critical finding was the absence of any operation and maintenance (O&M) plan developed by the department for the upkeep of the assets created under these schemes. Furthermore, no mechanism had been put in place to ensure the availability of trained manpower at the village level, a requirement mandated by the JJM guidelines. The audit concluded that the lack of a structured framework for maintenance and local capacity building places the long-term sustainability of these completed schemes at considerable risk.
The report also detailed that the department had not initiated any assessments to determine the district-wise requirement for skilled manpower. Moreover, there had been no engagement with initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) for the training, certification, and subsequent deployment of local youth for O&M activities. This absence of a planned strategy for maintenance, local skill development, and ensuring the sustainability of completed projects was a recurring theme in the audit findings.
The prevalence of waterborne diseases in the region also came under the scanner. The report indicated no significant decrease in waterborne diseases, with the exception of Doda district, where only 48 percent of JJM schemes were completed. In contrast, Kishtwar and Kulgam districts, which had significantly lower completion rates for JJM schemes at 29 percent and 36 percent respectively, exhibited a high prevalence of waterborne diseases, with an observable increasing trend over the past five years. This correlation suggests a direct link between the incomplete implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission and the continued health challenges faced by rural communities in these areas.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.