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Government launches large-scale review of Jal Jeevan Mission after cost overruns.

Jal Jeevan Mission Cost Overrun and Inspection

The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was launched in 2019, to provide clean tap water to every rural household in India. Initially, the government planned to achieve this by 2024 with a budget of Rs 3.6 lakh crore (Centre: Rs 2.08 lakh crore, States: Rs 1.52 lakh crore). However, costs have increased, and the mission now faces challenges.

The JJM has approved 6.4 lakh water supply schemes, but their total cost has increased to Rs 8.29 lakh crore—more than double the original budget. The Jal Shakti Ministry asked for an extra Rs 2.79 lakh crore to complete the mission by 2028, but the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), led by the Expenditure Secretary, approved only Rs 1.51 lakh crore.

This 46% cut came after the Finance Ministry questioned why costs, like installing a single tap connection, jumped from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1,37,500. Some suspect states inflated work contracts, prompting a nationwide inspection.

The government is deploying 100 teams of Central Nodal Officers (CNOs) to check 183 JJM schemes across 135 districts in 29 states and Union Territories. The teams, including 75 Joint Secretaries and 106 Directors, will start inspections on May 26, 2025, and submit reports by June 10, 2025. They aim to verify costs, check work quality, and uncover reasons for the cost escalation.

The inspection teams will:

• Assess Design and Quality: Ensure pipelines and materials match approved plans by conducting on-site excavations.
• Check Costs: Compare original budgets with revised costs and demand written justifications for increases.
• Evaluate Functionality: Confirm if tap connections deliver 55 litres per person daily, as committed.
• Review Grievances: Investigate complaints about delays or poor execution. They’ll use a questionnaire prepared by the Jal Shakti Ministry and review State-Level Scheme Sanctioning Committee (SLSSC) records.

Why Are Costs So High?

• Tender Rule Change: In 2022, the government relaxed JJM tender guidelines, removing spending caps. This led to a Rs 16,839 crore increase in costs for 14,586 schemes, especially in states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh.
• Rising Material Costs: States like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan cited higher material costs post-COVID.
• Implementation Challenges: Delays, geological issues, and lack of state capacity slowed progress. Only 30.72% of 2024-25 funds were used, and only 11 states/UTs achieved 100% tap water coverage.
• Inflated Contracts: Some states may have approved overpriced contracts, raising suspicions of corruption.

Progress

Since 2019, JJM has provided tap water to 15.44 crore rural households (79.74% of the target) and 9.32 lakh schools and 9.69 lakh Anganwadi centres. However, 3.96 crore households remain without connections, and the deadline was extended to 2028 with a Rs 67,000 crore budget for 2025-26. 

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Source: 

INDIAN EXPRESS