Parliament Question: Funding of Drinking Water Projects in Tamil Nadu

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3228 ANSWERED ON 12/03/2026 FUNDING OF DRINKING WATER PROJECTS IN TAMIL NADU

3228. THIRU D M KATHIR ANAND:

DR. T SUMATHY ALIAS THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that the Hogenakkal Integrated Drinking Water Project, Phase III is progressing at a slow pace due to the non-release of the Union Government’s share of Rupees 2,283 crore and if so, the details and the current status thereof;

(b) the steps proposed to be taken by the Union Government to expedite the release of pending funds for implementation of the said project; and

(c) the steps taken by the Union Government to fund any drinking water projects in Tamil Nadu including Vellore Lok Sabha Constituency? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI V. SOMANNA)

(a) & (b) Since August 2019, Government of India is implementing a centrally sponsored scheme Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal, in partnership with States/ UTs including Tamil Nadu, to make provision of safe and adequate tap water connection to every rural household of the country. The Union Cabinet approved the implementation of JJM for a period of five years i.e. 2019-20 to 2023-24, during which, States/ UTs were required to complete the planning, approval, implementation of water supply schemes under the mission. States/ UTs were also informed that the central support under JJM would be limited to the funds availed during the mission period only.

The State Level Scheme Sanctioning Committee (SLSSC) of the Government of Tamil Nadu accorded approval to Hogenakkal Water Supply Project, Phase-III, in June 2023; however, the project could not be awarded within the mission period.

Hon'ble Finance Minister during her budget speech 2025-26 had announced extension of JJM until 2028.

(c) Drinking Water being a State subject, it is States, who plan, design, approve and implement drinking water supply schemes. Government of India supplements the efforts Page 1 of 2of the States by providing technical and financial assistance. Numerous projects are implemented concurrently at various levels across the States for achieving the envisaged objectives. Further, project-wise details of individual projects/ schemes for rural water supply projects are maintained at the State Government level.

During the mission period, an amount of ₹5,899.53 crore has been released by the Government of India to Tamil Nadu for implementation of various rural drinking water supply schemes to provide tap water connections to rural households across the State of Tamil Nadu, including those in the Vellore Lok Sabha Constituency.

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