Pipes without purpose: Failure of JJM in Assam
The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), launched in 2019 to provide piped water to every rural household in India by 2024, has faced significant setbacks in Assam, despite substantial investments exceeding Rs 19,000 crore. While the state reports 81% coverage with 58.45 lakh Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) as of November 2024, a deeper analysis reveals systemic failures undermining the mission’s objectives. One primary reason for JJM’s struggles in Assam is poor project execution. Reports from 2024 highlight that 18% of rural households remain without piped water, lagging behind neighbouring states like Arunachal Pradesh (100% coverage). In Bokakhat, for instance, Rs 381 crore was spent on 371 schemes, yet 44 remain non-functional due to unpaid electricity bills, poor maintenance by Water User Committees, and infrastructure damage from road widening. This reflects a broader issue of mismanagement and lack of accountability.
Corruption allegations further erode trust in the mission. The Assam government halted JJM projects in October 2024 amid concerns over contractors missing deadlines and delivering substandard work, prompting calls for a CBI probe from the state Congress. Quality lapses, such as the use of inferior pipes flagged in 2022, exacerbate the problem, compromising water safety and system durability. Additionally, inadequate community engagement hampers sustainability. JJM’s community-driven approach falters when local committees lack training or resources, as seen in Jhinga village, where water supply ceased within weeks of installation, sparking protests in December 2024. Environmental challenges, like floods damaging infrastructure, compound these woes. Yet proactive adaptation measures remain absent. Critics argue that Assam’s government prioritizes scale over substance, inflating statistics while neglecting operational realities. The Centre for Urbanization, Buildings and Environment’s ongoing inspection may offer insights, but without addressing corruption, enhancing oversight, and empowering communities, JJM in Assam risks remaining a hollow promise – pipes laid, but water undelivered.
Chandan Kumar Nath
Sorbhog, Barpeta
Avoid rhetoric; be constructive
Although the recent first in-person meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh interim government's Chief Advisor Prof. Md. Yunus in Bangkok on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit has hit headlines across the globe, the latter's certain unnecessary remarks about India's northeastern region during his visit to China have made it clear that Dhaka rolled out the red carpet for Beijing, ignoring India's concerns. The Sunday (6 April) editorial 'Modi and Yunus' has underscored New Delhi's fervent desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Dhaka and ensure the safety and security of religious minorities living in Bangladesh. But it has been learnt that Bangladesh has cleared the decks for the Chinese to come near Kolkata and the Pakistanis near Hasimara Air Force Station close to the Chicken's Neck and the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet trijunction. What worries one is that China is set to have its footprint at the Mongla Port in the Khulna division, which is likely to jeopardize the operational rights India had on one of the terminals. India had resisted China's efforts to increase its influence in the Indian Ocean for years. But, unfortunately, today China is not prepared to come alone, but they plan to bring Pakistanis along, and that poses a real challenge since radical Islamist elements are a part of the Yunus establishment. The most important task before the Government of India is to strengthen its borders and collaborate with other countries to prevent these dangers from occurring. Taking proactive measures to maintain stability without any tensions in the bilateral relations between the two countries is a must. India cannot let Dhaka off the hook, as the countries were for long considered the best neighbours in the entire world.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati.
