J K Speaker announces formation of House committee to probe 'irregularities' in Jal Jeevan Mission

Jammu, Mar 22 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Saturday announced the formation of a House committee to probe alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in the Union Territory.
    The speaker said there has been a constant demand from several MLAs regarding the constitution of a House committee since the start of the budget session on March 3.
    "The House is supreme and there is no harm in the formation of a House committee to probe the alleged irregularities in (the implementation of the) JJM," he said.
    Members of both the treasury and opposition benches had raised the issue of alleged irregularities in the implementation of the JJM, with several of them pressing for the formation of a House committee to probe the matter.
    Earlier, winding up the discussion in the House on the demands for grants for four departments, including jal shakti, minister Javed Ahmed Rana said the government is determined to provide "Har Ghar Nal Se Jal" to all rural households and is utilising resources from the JJM, NABARD and UT Capex to provide 55 litres of clean drinking water per capita daily, conforming to the BIS 10,000 and 10,500 standards.
    "In order to achieve this objective, Jammu and Kashmir has planned the execution of 3,253 water supply schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 13,344.25 crore to provide new tap water connections as well as to upgrade the existing connections provided under previous programmes to make those JJM-compliant by raising new infrastructure as well as retrofitting the existing infrastructure, wherever required," the minister for jal shakti, forest, ecology and environment and tribal affairs said.
    Reflecting on the achievements, he said major strides have been made in the implementation of the JJM in the last two-and-a-half years and more than 1,400 (43 per cent) water supply schemes have been completed. Of the remaining 1,853 schemes, about 1,500 have recorded a progress of more than 50 per cent, he added.

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