GUWAHATI: Assam lags behind several states in fund utilisation and overall progress in providing tap water connections to rural households under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scheme, according to the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
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The ministry's data, updated as of Friday, February 28, states that Assam has received a central allocation of ₹5,198.78 crore, with ₹2,059.63 crore released for the implementation of the scheme so far. The state has already spent ₹2,726.46 crore, including its own contribution of ₹364.15 crore, leading to a fund utilisation rate of 86.43%. While this is above the national average of 75.97%, multiple states have already achieved full or near-full utilisation of their allocated funds.
For instance, Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh have reported 100% full coverage. Himachal Pradesh spent ₹156.92 crore out of its ₹916.53 crore allocation, while Arunachal Pradesh utilised ₹22.94 crore of its ₹217.82 crore allocation. Similarly, Madhya Pradesh has achieved a 96.02% utilisation rate, while Mizoram stands at 88.04%.
In the northeastern region, Meghalaya has spent 81.61% of its funds, while Mizoram has surpassed Assam in percentage terms, having utilised 88.04% of its allocation. Despite its higher total expenditure, Assam's slower implementation compared to smaller states raises concerns regarding project efficiency and fund absorption.
The Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide every rural household with functional tap water connections. While Assam has made progress, its lag behind several states indicates potential challenges in execution, fund deployment, and infrastructure readiness.
