‘AP didn’t benefit from Jal Jeevan Mission funds: Pawan Kalyan

Minister for Panchayat Raj K Pawan Kalyan has expressed disappointment that Andhra Pradesh has not reaped the benefits of the Centrally sponsored ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ scheme. He has raised concerns about possible misappropriation of the scheme’s funds during the YSRCP regime.
In a video message on Saturday, Pawan Kalyan emphasized that the Central Government’s ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ aims to provide safe drinking water to every household.
“Officials informed me that Rs 4,000 crore was allocated to Andhra Pradesh under the ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ during the five years of the YSRCP regime. However, the results are not evident,” Pawan Kalyan lamented. He noted that while some pipelines were installed under the scheme, many were later abandoned.
Pawan Kalyan questioned whether officials had misused the Jal Jeevan Mission funds rather than using them to create lasting infrastructure. He said that the expected outcomes of the scheme have not materialized in AP.
“I have instructed officials to conduct a ‘pulse survey’ to assess the current status of the Jal Jeevan Mission in AP, including details on the work completed and funds spent. This survey will be conducted statewide, and its findings will be shared with the public,” Pawan Kalyan announced.
The Panchayat Raj Minister also reiterated efforts to strengthen village panchayats by ensuring adequate funding.
“Since taking office as Panchayat Raj Minister, I have held multiple review meetings with officials from the Panchayat Raj, Forest, and Rural Development departments. We discussed measures to enhance village panchayats and addressed long-standing issues,” he said.
Pawan Kalyan revealed that three critical decisions were made during these meetings and implemented to build a robust panchayat raj system in the state.
It has been decided to conduct ‘Grama Sabhas’ in all 13,326 village panchayats, where MPs, MLAs, and Sarpanchs will participate in prioritizing MGNREGA works and determining project locations. He affirmed that this initiative aims to improve basic amenities in certain villages using MGNREGA funds