PUDUCHERRY: Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Tuesday urged the centre to release pending central assistance under the first phase of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), while reaffirming the Union Territory’s commitment to the effective implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0.
Speaking at the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exchange ceremony for the implementation of JJM 2.0 through video conferencing, Rangasamy said Puducherry had achieved 100 per cent Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) coverage under JJM 1.0 and was awarded the “Har Ghar Jal” certification in May 2021.
Addressing the gathering in the presence of Union Minister for Jal Shakti C R Patil and Minister of State for Jal Shakti V Somanna, the Chief Minister said that at the launch of the mission in 2020, authorities had identified 14,976 households, 390 schools and 413 Anganwadi centres across Puducherry and Karaikal districts without tap water connections.
He said the target was subsequently achieved, with nearly 15,000 household tap connections provided across the Union Territory.
Rangasamy noted that the total approved project cost under Jal Jeevan Mission 1.0 for Puducherry was Rs 33.60 crore, against which the Government of India released Rs 13.30 crore as central assistance. Due to the shortfall in release of the remaining Central share, the Puducherry government contributed an additional Rs 5 crore from its own resources to ensure timely completion of works and settlement of liabilities.
He appealed to the Ministry of Jal Shakti to release the balance central assistance at the earliest.
Welcoming the launch of JJM 2.0, the CM said the Union Territory would actively participate in the next phase of the programme. He assured the Ministry of Puducherry’s full cooperation in achieving key objectives, including source sustainability, digital governance for water quality monitoring, public grievance redressal systems, community-managed water supply, greater public participation through Nal Jal Mitras, and sustainable water resource management frameworks.
He described the MoU exchange as a significant milestone in strengthening water security and drinking water infrastructure in the Union Territory.
