Assam Villages Thirst as Jal Jeevan Mission Funds Vanish & Water Pipes Remain Dry

Questions are mounting over the state of food and water supply schemes under Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, with critics alleging that the Prime Minister’s flagship Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) has failed to deliver clean water to many parts of Assam even after more than two years of its implementation.

In several villages, residents report that pipelines installed under the mission remain unused, blocked by overgrown vines, leaving households without the promised water supply. Villagers are raising concerns over where the funds allocated for the project have gone and why the scheme has failed to reach its intended beneficiaries.

In Lakhimpur, locals said that despite the construction of pipelines, water has not flowed into homes. “We are facing a severe shortage of water. Wells and tube wells have dried up, and the JJM water, which was supposed to help us, has not reached our homes,” said one villager. Another resident added, “Contractors installed pipelines, but no water comes through them. Many villages are facing the same problem. We were also promised compensation for giving our land for construction, but that has not been paid.”

Similar complaints have emerged from Bilasipara, where residents say that despite significant government spending on the mission, water plants remain non-functional even a year after construction. “The taps are dry, and no official has visited our village to check whether we are receiving water,” a local said.

Dibrugarh residents report comparable difficulties. One local stated, “A committee was formed to oversee water supply for 171 families, but the plant is still incomplete. We have approached the MLA and contractors, but the problems persist, and water has yet to reach our homes.”

Reports indicate that these issues reflect broader inefficiencies and mismanagement within the department, raising questions about accountability in government schemes intended to support local communities. Observers warn that if such problems are not addressed, the promise of the Jal Jeevan Mission in Assam risks remaining unfulfilled.

Also Read: Assam’s Jal Jeevan Mission In Jeopardy? Centre Takes Stock