STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday accused MP and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi and stated that Gogoi had been misleading Parliament with “factually incorrect and politically motivated” statements regarding the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in the state.
BJP spokesperson Manas Sarania said Gogoi’s allegation that Rs 3,500 crore in unpaid bills to 8,000 contractors had pushed them into distress was “entirely false, baseless and far removed from ground reality.” He claimed the Congress, having “lost public trust and political relevance,” was attempting to malign the success of the JJM to regain political ground.
Sarania reiterated that the JJM is a major public welfare and public health initiative aimed at providing clean tap water to every rural household. Under the scheme, 90 percent of the funding is provided by the Centre and 10 percent by the state, with the implementation period extended up to 2028 to ensure quality.
For Assam, the Mission has an estimated outlay of around Rs 67,000 crore, of which Rs 6,047 crore has already been released. A total of 18,498 projects have been sanctioned, and 17,230 are operational and handed over to management committees. Of these, 13,767 schemes are providing full-scale potable water, while 1,104 are supplying partial drinking water coverage. Overall, JJM coverage in Assam has reached 74 percent.
Refuting allegations of unpaid dues, Sarania clarified that Central funds are released only after projects attain full functionality and utilization certificates are submitted. At present, 1,268 projects are yet to become fully functional and are awaiting corresponding Central releases.
Sarania said that the government remains committed to completing all remaining projects within the stipulated timeframe. He attributed delays in certain areas to on-ground challenges in laying pipelines across difficult terrains and remote regions.
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