Jal Jeevan Mision on halt in Kerala, thanks to state government

Just 11 months remain for the government to complete the touted Jal Jeevan mission, which promises drinking water through pipes even in the remotest of villages in India. However, Kerala is on the back foot with just 48% of the work completed. It is more or less confirmed that the government will fall behind in completing the project within one year time from now. The organizational lax and the general ineptitude in completing work proved costly. The government now looks to some amicable approach with the central government and will possibly ask for an extension to complete the project. Meanwhile, union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is not yet ready to abide by Kerala’s terms. According to the minister, if the work gets extended, the amount shall be spent from the state coffers but not the center.

However, Kerala can still talk business with the central government for one reason. The Jal Jeevan mission started in 2019. Before the official start, many other states were allowed the benefit of the scheme while Kerala got the approval late. If approached with a deftly prepared action plan that resonates with the need perfectly, the union minister cannot just snub an extension.

According to officials, it is the delay in permission regarding the breaking of roads that is stymying the works for the project. After the union minister's insistence, the national road authority, railway, and forest officials joined a meeting with officials in Kerala to discuss the Jal Jeevan mission progress.

After some deliberation, the union minister asked for the road works to start from May last week. Kerala water authority and other field agencies should work out further quibbles by taking proper reports from the ground. However, Kerala’s history is replete with such occasions such that the premonition is high as talks often do not do the walk in the southern state. The lackadaisical nature of works being imbued for generations is a hindrance stopping many such developmental projects. The Jal Jeevan mission proved to be of huge success wherever it was introduced but Kerala is not even doing the menial legwork to bring such a beneficial scheme to effect.

Hitherto, only five panchayats in Thiruvananthapuram received the benefits of the central government. The 68 other panchayaths in the capital are on a long wait to see the pipeline being installed in their homes.