The Assam government has temporarily suspended the Jal Jeevan Mission due to issues with project quality and adherence to deadlines, impacting piped drinking water initiatives in rural areas.
The Assam government has temporarily suspended the Jal Jeevan Mission due to issues with project quality and adherence to deadlines, impacting piped drinking water initiatives in rural areas.
Guwahati: The Assam government has announced a temporary suspension of all operations under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) throughout the state, following serious concerns about project quality and compliance with timelines. This decision, formalized in an order from Kailash Karthik N., Secretary to the Government of Assam and Mission Director of JJM, initiates a “standstill period” affecting engineers and contractors involved in the initiative.
The directive highlights that many contractors have struggled to meet the six-month completion deadline for Single Village Schemes, leading to multiple requests for extensions that raised alarms about project management and oversight. Additionally, Third Party Inspection Agencies, tasked with ensuring the timely and quality execution of projects, have reportedly failed to perform their roles adequately.
In light of these issues, the Public Health Engineering Department has mandated a thorough audit of both ongoing and completed projects. The audit aims to identify discrepancies in project delivery, evaluate contractor performance, and uncover the underlying causes of delays.
“The goal is to guarantee that all projects comply with the standards set by the Jal Jeevan Mission, the Assam government, and the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India,” the order stated.
During this suspension, all construction activities related to JJM schemes are halted until further notice. Contractors are required to safeguard any materials acquired but unused, such as pipes and tanks, with the responsibility for their protection resting solely on them.
The directive also notes that projects that are complete but awaiting formal handover to the Panchayat and Rural Development Department or Water User Committees should promptly finalize necessary documentation. District authorities have been instructed to expedite the trial phase of any ongoing schemes.
While existing operational projects will continue to function without disruption, the halt on new and ongoing works poses a significant challenge to the state’s efforts to provide piped drinking water to rural households, a primary goal of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
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