Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and release Rs 3,112 crore in pending dues under the Jal Jeevan Mission to ensure the timely completion of ongoing drinking water projects in the state.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Stalin said the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti had recently indicated that central assistance could not be extended to the Hogenekkal Phase-III Combined Water Supply Scheme, despite the project receiving approval in June 2023.
“The scheme was approved in the State Level Scheme Sanctioning Committee of the Ministry of Jal Shakti on June 15, 2023, at a cost of Rs 8,428 crore, including the central government's Jal Jeevan Mission share of Rs 2,283 crore,” Stalin said.
Highlighting the state’s progress under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the chief minister noted that 1.12 crore homes in Tamil Nadu now have functional household tap connections, accounting for about 90 per cent of the total 1.25 crore rural households.
“In the first phase of Jal Jeevan Mission, the State took up 45 new Multi Village Schemes, 56 Retrofitting Combined Water Supply Scheme and 21,258 Single Village Schemes at a total of Rs 18,123 crore. I am glad to inform that all Single Village Schemes and 92 out of the 101 Multi Village Schemes and retrofitting schemes have been completed, while the remaining nine MVS are in advanced stages of implementation,” he said.
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According to Stalin, the union government has so far released Rs 5,914 crore as its share for Tamil Nadu under the mission, leaving a pending balance of Rs 3,112 crore.
“Although Rs 2,434 crore was allocated for Tamil Nadu during 2024–25, only Rs 732 crore has been released, and no funds have been received since September 2024,” he said.
To ensure that ongoing projects continue without disruption, the state government has released Rs 2,550 crore from its own resources to meet the expenditure of works under the Jal Jeevan Mission, Stalin added.
“Hence, I request you to intervene and immediately release the pending balance of Rs 3,112 crore to ensure completion of the ongoing Jal Jeevan Mission Schemes,” he said in the letter.
The chief minister also sought the Centre’s support for the Hogenekkal Phase-III project, proposed as an externally aided initiative with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
He warned that withdrawal of central support would affect drinking water supply prospects in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts.
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