Hurdles hit execution of PMAY (Urban) & JJM

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Various hurdles have caused delay in implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY-Urban) and Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Assam.

Sources said even though the PMAY (Urban) was started in various parts of the country way back in 2015, the scheme was actually started in Assam in 2017. The scheme is currently being executed in 97 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the State.

As per the latest official statistics the Centre has sanctioned 1,20,134 Beneficiary Led (Individual House) Construction (BLC) houses under the PMAY (Urban) for Assam. While construction of 57,918 have BLC houses have started, 19.249 houses have already been completed and occupied by the families (selected beneficiaries under PMAY (U).

"Besides other hurdles outbreak of Covid-19 and consequent lockdown for many months in 2020 have delayed the progress of implementation of the PMAY (U) in the State," the source said.

On the other hand as on February 8, 2021, the average tap water connection to rural households in Assam under the JJM was 6.4 per cent against the national average of 34.63 per cent. In ranking on this front, Assam has been placed second from the bottom. The State is ranked only above West Bengal from the bottom.

There are 63.65 lakh rural households in Assam. Of them, only 4.06 lakh rural households have been given tap water connection under the JJM, and this is just 6.4 per cent. In fiscal 2019-20, Central allocation of Rs 694.95 crore under the JJM was made to the State. It was followed by another Central allocation of Rs 1608.51 crore in fiscal 2020-21. The Public Health Engineering (PHE) is the executing agency of the JJM in Assam.

Sources in the PHE while admitting the slow progress of JJM, said even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the scheme on the Independence Day in 2019, Assam had received the guidelines for implementation of the same in between February and March in 2020.

"Soon after receiving the guidelines in 2020 the COVID pandemic hit the country and long lockdown started. Despite lockdown and COVID-19 pandemic the top officials and engineers of the PHE department in Assam started the ground work for execution of the JJM scheme. Besides the pandemic and lockdown few other hurdles were faced by the PHE department. Execution of the scheme is now in full swing and the State is confident of meeting its target during the next financial year (2021-22)," the source added.

Also Read: I'm Not Narendra Modi, I Don't Lie, says Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi

Also Watch: AJP's Adip Phukan, 2 Others File Nominations in Guwahati