Karnataka lags behind implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission: BJP

The state had provided tapped drinking water only to 7.1 lakh houses in the financial year 2023-24 against 18.76 lakhs and 20.56 lakh connections in the financial years 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively, said Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

New Delhi: Former Union Minister and BJP spokesperson Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday alleged that implementation of centrally sponsored Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) slowed down in Karnataka since the Congress government came to power in the state.

Chandrasekhar said that total negligence by the state government to implement the scheme has resulted in denying the right for the very basic need of piped, safe water for the people of Karnataka.

The state had provided tapped drinking water only to 7.1 lakh houses in the financial year 2023-24 against 18.76 lakhs and 20.56 lakh connections in the financial years 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively, he said in a statement.

At the start of JJM, 24.51 lakh ( 23.23 per cent) rural households provided the tap water connections. Since then, additional 49.96 lakh rural households have been provided with tap water connections under the scheme. Thus as on February 5 , 2024 out of 101.16 lakh rural households in Karnataka around 74.48 lakh ( 73.63 per cent) households were reported to have tap water supply, the Minister said.

As the JJM is in its final stage, it is necessary for the state to adopt a well devised strategy for prioritised implementation, he said.

"Present pace of implementation is a cause of concern for achieving the goal of the mission in time," the Minister said, adding that the state government should take immediate corrective measures to expedite the scheme to provide tap water connection to every household in the state.