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| Amid BJP’s reluctance, Speaker announces House Committee to probe JJM ‘irregularities’ | | Budget Session 2025 | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 22: Amid demand of the ruling party members, Speaker of Legislative Assembly Abdul Rahim Rather, announced the formation of a House Committee on Saturday to probe alleged irregularities and mismanagement within the Jal Jevaan Mission, responsible for the region’s water supply.
The decision follows mounting concerns from lawmakers over transparency issues, corruption allegations, and inefficiencies plaguing the department.
As soon as Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather announced the formation of the House Committee, Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma wanted to say something but the Speaker announced the ending of today’s proceedings in the House.
The move came after intense discussions in the Assembly, where legislators voiced frustration over the handling of water supply projects. One lawmaker alleged that contractors, possibly acting under government influence, sold water pipes intended for public use during election campaigns.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly pushed for an investigation, it appeared reluctant when Speaker Rather formalized the committee’s creation. The committee, to be nominated by the Speaker, will include representatives from all parties to ensure a fair and thorough inquiry.
Tensions over the Jal Shakti Department’s performance have been brewing for weeks. On March 5, a fiery debate erupted in the Assembly over the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a central government program aimed at delivering clean drinking water to rural households. Lawmakers accused the administration of mismanagement, claiming funds were misused and projects stalled or abandoned. Jal Shakti Minister Javed Rana responded by promising action against officials who misrepresented JJM progress, but skepticism persists among both opposition and some ruling party members.
The region’s water crisis has also spotlighted the plight of daily wage workers in the department. On March 11, Assembly members condemned a police lathi charge against protesting employees demanding unpaid wages—some pending for up to 85 months—and job regularization. BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa called the government’s inaction “shameful,” while opposition parties blamed both current and past administrations, including the former National Conference-led government, for neglecting these workers. The session descended into chaos, culminating in a BJP walkout over the government’s handling of water resource issues.
The newly formed House Committee is tasked with investigating financial irregularities, project delays, and governance lapses within the Jal Shakti Department. As rural areas continue to grapple with dry taps and crumbling infrastructure, the probe’s findings are eagerly awaited by a frustrated public hoping for accountability and solutions to the ongoing water supply crisis.
Earlier a heated argument erupted between the National Conference MLA Tanvir Sadiq and BJP member from Kathua Rajeev Jasrotia over the formation of a house committee for the Jal Jeevan Mission. Tanvir Sadiq claimed that the BJP also wanted a House Committee, but Rajeev Jasrotia vehemently denied this, asking when the BJP had ever expressed such a desire. Jasrotia emphatically stated that the BJP does not want any House Committee. |
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