Vijayawada: Deputy chief minister and panchayat raj minister K Pawan Kalyan strongly criticised the previous govt for its poor implementation and substandard execution of the Jal Jeevan Mission works, which has led to inadequate drinking water supply for rural areas.
Speaking at a state-level workshop on the implementation of the scheme, he highlighted several lapses, including the failure to prioritise sustainable water sources and the misuse of central funds.
Pawan Kalyan noted that the Jal Jeevan Mission, launched in 2019 with the ambitious goal of providing 55 litres of clean water daily to every rural household, was undermined by the previous administration due to lack of foresight. While other states like Kerala proposed substantial budgets for future water needs, the previous Andhra Pradesh govt estimated a mere ₹26,000 crore, significantly lower than the state’s actual requirements. This resulted in insufficient central funding and incomplete projects.
He revealed that instead of tapping into reservoirs and sustainable water sources, the previous govt focused on bore wells, violating the mission’s guidelines. “Pipelines were laid without any plan on how to bring water,” he stated, accusing the previous administration of spending ₹4,000 crore on substandard works that failed to deliver results.
A recent survey exposed discrepancies in the previous govt’s claims. While they reported providing water connections to 70 lakh households, the survey revealed that only 55 lakh families had access, leaving nearly 30 lakh households without tap connections.
The deputy CM emphasised the current govt’s commitment to rectifying these issues. Plans are underway to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) requesting ₹70,000 crore to meet the state’s drinking water needs. “We must ensure that every rupee is spent efficiently, and the benefits reach people,” Pawan said, urging collective efforts to make clean drinking water accessible to all.
