Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) has reacted to allegations made by a group- Nagaland Transparency, Public Rights Advocacy & Direct Action Organization (NTPRADAO) – over misappropriation of Rs. 1712 crore under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scheme in Nagaland.
According to a rejoinder from additional chief engineer PHED & HoD, Er. L Leyang Khiamniungan, the JJM, launched in 2019, aimed at providing every rural household with a Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) by 2024. He claimed that Nagaland achieved a 92.29% coverage rate to date, despite significant geographical and logistical challenges and that JJM’s implementation was ongoing.
The Addl. CE gave a detailed operational guideline for JJM, the planning, implementation, management. He said operation and maintenance of the project was to be done by the village community.
The Addl. CE said the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for each village or habitation, are prepared only after a Village Action Plan (VAP) was finalized. He said the DPRs are then submitted to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), and consolidated into an Annual Action Plan (AAP).
Then upon approval, the AAP secures funding and resources for the project. Once approved, work orders are issued to village Water and Sanitation Committees (WATSAN) or contractors who are endorsed by the respective village councils, ensuring community partnership and ownership for sustainability.
The Addl. CE said that contrary to the alleged Rs. 1712.03 crore funding figure, Nagaland received Rs. 1282.7514 crore as the central share and Rs. 143.7043 crore as state share, totaling Rs. 1426.45557 crore since 2019-20.
PHED clarified that all payments under JJM are managed via the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), with funds released only after verification by a Third Party Inspection Agency (TPIA), supervised by District Water and Sanitation Missions (DWSM) headed by district deputy commissioners.
PHED gave a technical detail of JJM projects which were described as involving augmenting and retrofitting existing infrastructure, such as pipelines and reservoirs, constructed under previous programs like the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP).
Therefore, PHED said that in some village habitations, the existing structures like pipelines and reservoirs are being augmented and retrofitted, while in remaining other villages/habitations, new water supply infrastructures are installed/ build.
PHED also addressed concerns about the quality of materials, stating that all pipes meet NPWD specifications, were ISI-compliant, and undergo both internal and external quality checks.
It said that community feedback plays a vital role in maintaining quality, for which the department has set up a grievance cell to address such issues. Further, PHED said that inspections by an Inspection Board and external testing by the Government of India’s National Test House (NR) ensure compliance with quality standards before payment is released after certification by TPIA.
PHED asserted that allegations of misappropriation of 70% of allocated funds for piping infrastructure and mismanagement of 30% for civil works were “unfounded.”
The statement highlighted that community involvement and WATSAN Committees play a crucial role in JJM implementation.
Further the Addl.CE said PHED and partnering agencies, including North East Initiative Development Agency (NEIDA), Pinnacle Skills, Zynorique Consultancy and Kuda Tech Skills etc. provide training and capacity-building programs for department officials and local village functionaries.
PHED further assured the public of safe drinking water, noting that periodic testing is conducted in both state and district laboratories, accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration (NABL).
Field Testing Kits (FTKs) are also used for water quality checks, for which trainings are imparted at various levels including villages. Suitable corrective measures are taken up when contamination is detected, and are reported to the Ministry.
While acknowledging that challenges do persist, PHED assured that both the department and its partners were committed to addressing these issues effectively. Stating that the concerns raised by NTPRADAO have been noted, PHED assured that shortcomings, if any, would be appropriately addressed, adding that the department welcomed any constructive feedback for further improvement.