Performance of JJM implementation in Assam's Barak Valley poor: Minister
The unavailability of contractors for the implementation of the mission is one of the
problems in the three districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi, the minister said.
Assam Public Health Engineering Department Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass said that the three districts of Assam's Barak Valley have performed poorly in the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) with only 6 to 8 per cent of this fiscal's target, and that it will have an impact on the overall performance of the state.
"Barak Valley is the worst performer in implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission," Dass said, in response to a discussion moved by Dipayan Chakraborty, ruling BJP legislator from Silchar.
Unavailability of contractors for implementation of the mission is one of the problems in the three districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi, the minister said, adding that there are other problems in Barak valley which are peculiar to the area.
"For instance, in one case we had to re-align an underground water supply pipeline as it was otherwise running through Mizoram territory and they were unwilling to allow us to construct it," Dass said.
Chakraborty claimed there was a scarcity of tap water in Silchar and urged for the speedy redressal of this perennial problem.
He also said, in the Karimganj district, the achieved target so far has been 7 per cent and in Hailakandi it has been 8 per cent.
"In most other districts, it is between 20 to 40 per cent. We are working on improving the performance in Barak Valley," Dass said.
Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, it is targeted to provide functional tap water connections to all rural households by 2024.
Minister Dass said that he will undertake a five-day visit to Barak Valley in September to streamline the work and appealed to the MLAs of the three districts to cooperate with the department in this regard.
(Edited by Aparmita Das)
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