Parliament Question: Substandard Quality of Work under JJM

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1872 ANSWERED ON 31.07.2025 SUBSTANDARD QUALITY OF WORK UNDER JJM

1872. SHRI BHASKAR MURLIDHAR BHAGARE:

PROF. VARSHA EKNATH GAIKWAD:

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

SMT. SUPRIYA SULE:

SHRI SANJAY DINA PATIL:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware of multiple complaints concerning substandard quality of work under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and if reports in social and mass media reflect public dissatisfaction regarding the implementation of the mission;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the number and nature of complaints received and the action taken to address these concerns;

(c) whether the Government has conducted any quality assessments or audits of JJM projects and if so, the details thereof indicating the key findings from such evaluations;

(d) the monitoring mechanisms established to ensure quality control, transparency and accountability in executing JJM projects across States; and

(e) the steps taken/being taken to ensure that the scheme effectively delivers adequate drinking water to rural households and to prevent corruption, mismanagement and poor execution of works under JJM? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI V. SOMANNA)

(a) & (b) Since August 2019, Government of India in partnership with States is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal to make provision of potable water to every rural household of the country, through functional tap water connection.

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 of the States by providing technical and financial assistance. As such details of individual projects/ schemes which inter alia including tendering, agencies involved for implementation of rural water supply projects Page 1 of 2are not maintained at the Government of India level. Further, grievances/ complaints etc. inter alia including quality of work, payment of bills, work award, etc. are handled and disposed at State/ UT level. Any such matter/ representation thus received in this Department so far, have been forwarded to the State Government for taking requisite necessary action.

(c) Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation undertakes assessment of the functionality of household tap water connections provided under the Mission, through an independent third-party agency, based on standard statistical sampling. During the Functionality Assessment 2022, it was found that 86% of households (HHs) had working tap connections. Out of these, 85% were getting water in adequate quantity, 80% were getting water regularly as per the schedule of water supply for their piped water supply scheme, and 87% of households were receiving water as per the prescribed water quality standards. A copy of last Functionality Assessment 2022 is in public

domain and can be accessed at https://jaljeevanmission.gov.in/functionality-reports.

(d) To ensure universal coverage through tap water connection, the Department has evolved a comprehensive multi-level and multi-format system of monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of programme, linking AADHAR of the head of household for targeted delivery and monitoring of specific outcomes, subject to statutory provisions, including geo-tagging of assets created, third-party inspections before making payments, measurement and monitoring of water supply in villages through sensor-based IoT solution etc.

(e) A number of steps have been taken to plan and implement JJM in the whole country, with speed, inter alia, including joint discussions and finalization of saturation plans and annual action plans (AAP) of States/ UTs, regular review of implementation, workshops/ conferences/ webinars for capacity building, training, knowledge sharing, field visits by multi-disciplinary team to provide technical support, etc. A detailed Operational Guideline for the implementation of JJM;

Margdarshika for Gram Panchayats & VWSCs to provide safe drinking water in rural households and Guidelines on a special campaign to provide piped water supply in anganwadi centres, ashramshalas and schools have been shared with States/ UTs to facilitate effective planning and implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission. For online monitoring, JJM–Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) and JJM–Dashboard has been put in place. Provision has also been made for transparent online financial management through Public Financial Management System

(PFMS). ***** Page 2 of 2