Maharashtra Cabinet Jal Jeevan Mission Allocation Contractor Bills

Days after seeking supplementary grants worth Rs 97,000 crore in the state legislature, the Maharashtra Cabinet on Thursday approved an additional allocation of Rs 22,898 crore from the state’s own resources for the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), over and above its mandatory matching contribution to the Centre’s flagship rural drinking water scheme.

The decision is aimed at speeding up execution of water supply projects, particularly those nearing completion, while allowing the state to release funds in advance even before the Centre releases its share.

A senior government official said the Cabinet had approved the additional funding to bridge the gap between the Centre’s allocation and the actual requirement for completing projects.

“The total funds available for the scheme will be around Rs 44,000 crore. Of this, about Rs 11,000 crore will come from the Centre, the state will contribute an equal matching share, and the remaining Rs 22,898 crore will be borne entirely by the state,” the official said.

The move assumes significance as the state government had informed the legislature during the Winter Session last year that it had not received central funds for the Jal Jeevan Mission since October 2024 and was using its own resources to keep projects on track. While central funds are yet to be released, the official said the Centre has earmarked around Rs 6,000 crore for Maharashtra this financial year.

The additional allocation will be used for retrofitting existing schemes, revised water supply projects, water quality monitoring, Internet of Things (IoT)-based monitoring systems, electro-chlorination units and other support components. It will also cover community contributions required under the scheme through Finance Commission grants and other sources.

The Cabinet has prioritised projects that are close to completion. Nearly Rs 5,934 crore has been set aside for schemes that are 75-99 per cent complete, while Rs 3,769 crore will be spent on projects that have achieved physical completion but require funds for commissioning and final payments. Another Rs 680 crore has been earmarked for water quality monitoring and other support components.

The decision comes even as a large number of contractors await payments. In a written reply in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Gulabrao Patil said that of the nearly 51,560 Jal Jeevan Mission projects taken up in Maharashtra, 27,823 have been completed while the rest are under various stages of execution.

He informed the House that contractor bills worth about Rs 5,183 crore were pending at the district level at the end of May due to a shortage of funds.

The minister also said that since drinking water is a state subject, the Centre has advised states to advance their own share until central funds are released.

Accordingly, Maharashtra has already released Rs 4,831.87 crore as special grants over the past two financial years to ensure work on ongoing projects does not come to a halt.

Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra's hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues. Expertise Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai. Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the 'hinterlands'). Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including: State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana). Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides). Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC's OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits. Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects. Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission. Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards. Alok Deshpande's rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra. He tweets @alokdesh ... Read More