Why hasn't Maharashtra received Central funds for the JJM scheme since October 2024?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Maharashtra has not received central JJM funds since October 2024.
- State funds are being utilized to continue projects.
- Over 51,000 schemes have been sanctioned in total.
- Rs 2483.58 crore has been allocated by the state.
- Plans for an additional Rs 3913 crore for 2025-26 have been announced.
Mumbai, July 7 (NationPress) The Maharashtra Minister of Water Supply and Sanitation, Gulabrao Patil, stated in a written response to the Legislative Council that the state has not received central funds for the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scheme since October 2024, leading the state to utilize its own financial resources to continue ongoing projects.
In his remarks, the Minister noted that a total of 51,558 schemes have been approved, with 26,009 currently in progress. This inquiry was prompted by questions from Pradnya Satav, Satej Patil (Congress), and other council members.
Minister Patil revealed that the state government has allocated Rs 2483.58 crore to ensure the completion of these ongoing initiatives.
Additionally, Minister of State Meghana Sakore-Bordikar, who was present during the council session, added, “We are actively engaging with the central government to expedite the release of funds. To prevent any disruption in ongoing projects for the fiscal year 2025-26, we have committed to providing additional funds of Rs 3913 crore.
The state government's response acknowledged that the momentum of the projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission has diminished due to challenges such as land availability, local opposition, necessary permits from various departments, delays by contractors, resource failures, and insufficient funding.
The response detailed that Rs 2483.58 crore has been disbursed as a special case by the Maharashtra government given the central funds have not been made available. It also noted that three letters have been dispatched to the Jal Shakti ministry requesting fund releases, along with a meeting held with the union minister.
The Jal Jeevan Mission was designed to deliver safe and sufficient drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to every rural household in India.
This initiative encompasses various components and measures aimed at realizing this goal. To date, the state has invested approximately Rs 31,374 crore.
According to government reports, the percentage of households with tap connections has risen from 33 percent to 88.36 percent following the successful completion of 15,537 schemes.