Srinagar The Jal Shakti Department has refuted a report published by the Hindi daily Amar Ujala regarding the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Jammu and Kashmir, describing it as misleading and factually incorrect.
According to the department, 1,469 JJM schemes have been physically completed across Jammu and Kashmir so far, of which 1,377 have already been made operational, providing functional tap water connections to households.
The department stated that another 1,778 schemes are currently under execution at different stages, with more than 900 schemes having achieved over 75 per cent physical progress.
Rejecting the newspaper’s claim that around 400 schemes had not started on the ground, the department clarified that only six schemes are yet to commence due to site-specific issues and that no expenditure has been incurred on their physical execution.
It also termed the report inaccurate regarding the number of approved schemes, stating that 1,861 schemes have been approved in Jammu province and 1,392 in Kashmir province.
The department said the physical and financial progress of JJM is available in the public domain through the mission’s monitoring dashboard and follows a verification mechanism under which progress is certified by Gram Sabhas through the Har Ghar Jal certification process.
It informed that out of 1,390 villages reported as Har Ghar Jal, 890 villages have already been certified by their respective Gram Panchayats.
The department further stated that against a total project cost of ₹13,344 crore, an expenditure of ₹7,105 crore has been incurred so far, accounting for 53 per cent of the total outlay.
It added that the remaining works would be completed in a phased and time-bound manner as funds are released.
The department appealed to media organisations to verify facts from official sources before publishing reports that could create confusion among the public and reiterated its commitment to providing safe tap water to every household in Jammu and Kashmir under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
