NAVVNEET DUBEY
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir is yet to draw any funds from the Rs 905.74 crore allocated by the Centre under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 for the financial year 2026-27.
The Union Government in March extended the Jal Jeevan Mission till December 2028 with a renewed focus on ensuring Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) and long-term sustainability of rural drinking water supply.
Under the revamped programme, J&K has been allocated Rs 905.74 crore for 2026-27 to augment rural water infrastructure across the Union Territory. However, according to data tabled in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, no amount has been drawn by J&K under JJM 2.0 as of August 2.
The Centre said Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 marks a shift from creating rural drinking water infrastructure to ensuring long-term functionality, water quality, source sustainability and assured service delivery. The mission, approved by the Union Cabinet in March this year, has been extended till December 2028.
The ministry said drinking water remains a State subject, while the Centre provides financial and technical support. Jammu and Kashmir, being a Himalayan Union Territory with a legislature, continues to receive Central assistance under the 90:10 funding pattern applicable to Himalayan and North Eastern States and UTs with legislatures.
Meanwhile responding to an unstarred question by MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh, Minister of State for Jal Shakti V Somanna today said that Baramulla has a total of 525 water supply schemes under the mission, involving an estimated investment of Rs 2,073.50 crore. Of this, Rs 1,233.28 crore has been spent so far. While 250 schemes have been physically completed, the remaining 275 are at different stages of implementation. It also informed the House that Jammu and Kashmir was allocated Rs 18,514.25 crore under the first phase of JJM, of which Rs 6,496.48 crore has been drawn.
According to the government, all pending schemes are expected to be completed by December 2028 in line with the extended timeline of Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0. The programme also introduces a digital monitoring platform, “Sujalam Bharat”, and greater community participation through Gram Panchayats and Village Water and Sanitation Committees to improve transparency and long-term maintenance of water supply schemes.
The ministry said more than 82 per cent of rural households across the country now have functional tap water connections, compared with 16.72 per cent when the mission was launched in August 2019. As of August 4, 2026, over 15.9 crore of the country’s 19.36 crore rural households had access to tap water.
According to the ministry, as of August 4, 2026, more than 15.90 crore rural households, accounting for 82.19 per cent of the country’s 19.36 crore rural households, have been provided with Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs), up from 3.23 crore households (16.72 per cent) when the mission was launched in August 2019.
