JJM’s promise of tap water for every home remains unfulfilled in Pulwama, allege locals
Thousands of families still await clean drinking water as most sanctioned schemes remain incomplete due to fund shortages
Pulwama: The ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), launched with the promise of “Har Ghar Nal, Har Ghar Jal” (tap water to every household), continues to remain an incomplete dream for thousands of residents in Pulwama district, where the pace of implementation has slowed significantly due to lack of funds, locals alleged Monday.
Despite the launch of 30 new drinking water supply schemes in the district, as many as 24 projects are still lying incomplete, leaving a large section of the population struggling for access to clean and safe drinking water.
Officials attribute the delay primarily to non-availability of funds, which has severely hampered progress on the ground.
According to the officials of the Jal Shakti Department, Pulwama Division, out of the 30 water supply schemes approved under the Jal Jeevan Mission, only six have been completed so far.
The remaining 24 schemes could not be finished due to financial constraints. The department is currently facing an outstanding liability of nearly Rs 25 crore, further complicating the situation, they added.
As a result, around 5,000 households in different parts of the district are still dependent on unreliable and unsafe water sources. This is despite the fact that under the flagship programme launched by the Government of India in 2019, every rural household was assured functional tap water connections by 2024. The mission aimed to provide adequate quantities of tested and safe drinking water to improve public health and reduce the burden on women, who traditionally travel long distances to fetch water.
The situation becomes even more distressing during the harsh winter months, when water scarcity intensifies and frozen sources make daily life extremely difficult for residents, the residents said.
Locals say that incomplete infrastructure and stalled projects have pushed them back to old practices of fetching water from springs, streams, or tanker supplies.
The deadline for completing the Jal Jeevan Mission has now been extended to 2028. The government has acknowledged that an additional Rs 6,254 crore will be required to complete all pending schemes across the region, highlighting the massive financial gap affecting the programme, officials added.
Officials said that they are making every possible effort to ensure temporary water supply to households that have not yet been covered under the mission. However, residents argue that such stopgap arrangements are no substitute for permanent tap water connections promised under JJM.
Local residents have been urging the authorities to expedite the release of funds and complete the pending projects without further delay. “We were assured tap water years ago, but even today we are waiting,” said several villagers, expressing frustration over repeated delays.
They called upon the government to honour its commitments. “The government must fulfil its promises. Jal Jeevan Mission is not a luxury but a basic necessity. Timely release of funds is crucial to ensure that people get clean and safe drinking water at their homes,” they said.
