J&K assembly: Speaker announces House panel to probe ‘bungling’ in Jal Jeevan Mission
J&K assembly speaker announces a House panel to investigate alleged bungling in the Jal Jeevan Mission amid concerns from various political members.
Following concern expressed by the members of National Conference, Congress and few members of the BJP, speaker of the J&K legislative assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, on Saturday, announced to constitute a House panel to probe alleged bungling in Jal Jeevan Mission.
Rather made the announcement while winding up Saturday’s proceedings.
“I announce a house committee to address the apprehensions expressed by members from both the sides during the debate today,” said Rather.
He also referred to similar demand raised earlier during the ongoing session.
The speaker, however, did not give broader contours of the house panel.
The alleged bungling came up during a discussion on grants held by PHE minister Javed Ahmed Rana.
While Rana stated that projects implemented under Jal Jeevan Mission were all in public domain, BJP member Balwant Singh Mankotia, NC member Tanvir Sadiq, BJP member Sunil Bhardwaj and few Congress members claimed wrongdoings in the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission project.
Leader of opposition Sunil Sharma said that the house should first debate the issue before a panel was announced.
However, the speaker said that a detailed debate has already been held.
Accordingly, he announced the house committee before adjourning the house for the day.
In August 2023, a senior Dalit IAS officer had flagged the scam before the then Union home secretary AK Bhalla.
In his complaint Ashok Parmar had stated that he intimated LG Manoj Sinha and then J&K chief secretary AK Mehta about dismal status of implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission vide his letter dated July 20, 2022.
While Parmar claimed the scam was of ₹13,000 crore, additional chief secretary Shaleen Kabra had denied any scam or financial irregularity in implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in the union territory.
House passes grants of forests, I&FC, PHE, tribal affairs depts
The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Saturday passed the Demands for Grants amounting to Rs. 154531.84 lakh for Forest, Ecology & Environment, 157671.32 lakh for Irrigation & Flood Control Department, Rs. 350126.57 lakh for PHE (Jal Shakti) and Rs. 44,299.17 lakh for the Tribal Affairs Department. The House passed the demands for grants through a voice vote on Saturday evening.
