Srinagar: The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has called for adequate and timely funding to ensure the expeditious completion of works under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Jammu and Kashmir.
In its report tabled in Parliament on August 7, the panel noted that funding constraints have slowed the pace of implementation of the flagship rural drinking water programme in the Union Territory.
While acknowledging progress made under the scheme, the committee said delays in fund releases have affected the completion of infrastructure projects and coverage of the remaining rural households.
It recommended timely financial support for the completion of all pending JJM schemes, with a focus on providing functional household tap connections to uncovered households, upgrading older water supply systems, strengthening water quality monitoring and completing Har Ghar Jal certification.
According to the report, the J&K administration informed the committee that constrained fund releases over the past two to three years had significantly affected implementation. It said work-done claims exceeding ₹1,360 crore remain pending for payment to contractors, resulting in a slowdown of works across the Union Territory.
The administration told the panel that timely release of funds could have enabled the completion of almost all JJM schemes in J&K by March 2026.
As per details available with KNO, of the 3,253 schemes taken up under the mission, 1,469 have been completed while 1,784 remain unfinished.
The committee, however, appreciated the progress achieved under the programme and commended the efforts of the Union Territory administration in expanding rural drinking water coverage across Jammu and Kashmir.
