SRINAGAR: Most water supply schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission in Rajouri have slowed or been left incomplete because executing agencies’ claims remain unpaid, the Jammu and Kashmir government told the Legislative Assembly in reply to a starred question.
The department said progress and completion are contingent on the availability of funds, leaving several works stalled and communities dependent on interim relief such as tanker supply.
The reply, provided by the Jal Shakti Department, Jammu and Kashmir, noted that the Government of India has extended the Jal Jeevan Mission programme until 2028, but emphasised that payment delays to contractors are the immediate reason for the slowdown in Rajouri. The department said some newly completed schemes face staff shortages for operation and maintenance, and that shortfalls are being temporarily managed through internal redeployment under a government order.
The statement also set out the staffing gap in Rajouri’s public health engineering wings. The department reported thousands of contingent workers on the rolls: 1,254 daily rated workers in PHE Division Rajouri, 693 in PHE Division Nowshera and 383 in the mechanical wing of Rajouri, a combined total of 2,330 casual and daily wage staff. It said sanctioned field functionary posts run into dozens, and many remain vacant; the administration is referring vacancies regularly to recruitment agencies, including the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission and the Services Selection Board for filling.
Officials drew attention to one AMRUT 2.0 project that is proceeding: the Augmentation of Water Supply Scheme, Thannamandi, Rajouri, awarded on January 2, 2025, at an estimated cost of Rs 5.23 crore. Work includes an intake and rapid sand filtration plant and distribution lines, and the department said the project is in progress and expected to be completed in 2026. Beyond that single scheme, the reply offered no firm dates for completing the broader set of stalled JJM works or firm assurances on the schedule for release of pending payments to contractors.
The Assembly papers underline the practical consequences of the funding gap: delayed completion of schemes, increased reliance on short-term measures such as tanker supply and an operational squeeze caused by vacant technical posts. While the department highlighted procedural steps — internal staff rationalisation and referrals to recruiting bodies — it did not provide a detailed timetable for clearing arrears to executing agencies or for recruiting the permanent cadre needed to operate and maintain new systems.
