Jal Jeevan Mission costs in Maharashtra doubled due to poor planning: CAG

The cost of implementation increased due to inadequate initial planning, deficiency in surveys, delay in execution and frequent revision of schemes, the report said

Mumbai: Less than a quarter of the 51,560 rural water supply schemes undertaken in Maharashtra under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) had been completed by March 2024, while the state’s expenditure on the programme doubled the initial estimate to ₹26,410.51 crore due to poor planning, execution delays and repeated cost revisions, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

Launched by the Centre in August 2019, the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide every rural household with a Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC), supplying 55 litres of potable water per person per day. (ANI)

“The cost of implementation increased due to inadequate initial planning, deficiency in surveys, delay in execution and frequent revision of schemes,” the report said.

The report comes at a time when the state government has said it has not received central funds under the JJM since September 2024 and has been using its own resources to continue the programme. Launched by the Centre in August 2019, the JJM aims to provide every rural household with a Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC), supplying 55 litres of potable water per person per day.

According to the CAG, Maharashtra had 13.85 million rural households when the programme was launched, of which 4.84 million already had tap water connections. Between 2019 and March 2024, the state initiated 51,560 rural water supply schemes, but only 12,703 (24.64%) were completed, while 38,857 remained under implementation.

The report also found that 27% (13,835 out of 51,560) of the water supply schemes were under the process of cost revision due to an increase in the scope of work for additional inhabitants, change of water source/land, execution of additional works, and awarding work above the tender rate, resulting in an increase in cost by ₹9,608.87 crore.

As a result, around 12.5 million rural households in Maharashtra were provided with tap connections till March 2024, against a target of 14.6 million. As per the CAG’s audit in the state, 108,000 households were left out of the district action plan under the initiative.

After auditing the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission in Maharashtra, the CAG made three main recommendations to the state government: strengthen fund flow planning to enable timely release and optimal utilisation of central and state shares; ensure the timelines of remittance of interest earned on unspent balances to the consolidated fund and submission of UCs and audited accounts; and devise a mechanism to prevent inadmissible expenditure through improved internal controls and regular monitoring.