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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Jal Jeevan Mission hit by water scarcity, terrain, and fund delays: Govt
Water scarcity, difficult terrain, and delays in state funding are among the key hurdles slowing down the government's flagship Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) that aims to provide tap water to every rural household, Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday. The deadline of Jal Jeevan Mission was extended from 2024 to 2028 in the last budget. In a written response, Minister of State for Jal Shakti V. Somanna said several states have reported constraints such as lack of dependable water sources in drought-prone and desert regions, groundwater contamination, scattered rural habitations, and delays in obtaining statutory clearances. Rising construction costs and limited technical capacity at the local level have further impacted the pace of implementation, he said. Some states have also failed to release their matching share of funds on time, leading to bottlenecks in ongoing projects. To overcome these issues, Somanna said the Centre has launched initiatives like the Nal Jal Mitra programme to train skilled local workers, and set up state and district programme management units to strengthen execution capacity. The government said it is also promoting source sustainability through rainwater harvesting, borewell recharge structures, greywater reuse, and rejuvenation of water bodies, in convergence with schemes such as MGNREGS, watershed programmes, and Finance Commission grants. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Jal Jeevan Mission guidelines changes in 2022 were due to requests from states, minister V Somanna tells Lok Sabha
Minister of State for Jal Shakti V Somanna said Thursday that Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) operational guidelines were changed after considering requests from various states seeking Central support for meeting additional costs of raw materials increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine crisis. In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Somanna said, 'Considering the requests from various states seeking central support for meeting additional cost of raw materials increased due to Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine crisis, requisite amendments were made in operational guidelines of the mission with effect from 21.06.2022 for sustaining the pace of implementation during mission period.' Somanna's reply came in response to a question asked by Samajwadi Party (SP) member Anand Bhadauriya, who wanted to know 'whether the change in the tender rules under the JJM, which were removed a few years ago, has led to huge additional cost amounting to crores of rupees across the states'. The government's reply to questions regarding the change in operational guidelines, which resulted in an increase in cost, is significant in view of concerns in some government sections that the cost of JJM works was inflated in certain states. On May 21, The Indian Express reported that an investigation into the data uploaded by states and Union Territories on the JMM dashboard showed that the crucial changes in the JJM guidelines three years ago had lifted the check on expenditure, leading to cost escalations. This resulted in additional costs totalling Rs 16,839 crore for 14,586 schemes, an increase of 14.58 per cent from their estimated cost. At the time of the revision of the guidelines in June 2022, Gajendra Sigh Shekhawat was heading the Jal Shakti Ministry. The payment of tender premium was prohibited in the original JJM guidelines issued in 2019. However, two-and-a-half years later, the Jal Shakti Ministry, with the approval of 'competent authority', made a crucial change in these guidelines on June 21, 2022. The ministry defined the 'approved cost' and deleted two words 'tender premium' from the suggestive list of inadmissible expenses. This paved the way for payment of tender premiums. Earlier this month, Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil stated that the Centre has halted the payment of tender premiums under the rural tap water scheme. Tender premiums refer to the additional amount a bidder quotes, which is higher than the government's approved cost. Responding to a question at the Idea Exchange programme of The Indian Express, Patil said, 'Tender premium ka bhugtan humne rok diya hai. Jo thha, jo gaya hoga woh alag baat hai, magar jo naya hai usse poori tarah hamne rok diya hai (We have stopped the payment of tender premium. What was there, what has gone is a different matter, but what is new has been completely stopped).' In a written response to a question posed by Congress member Praniti Shinde, Somanna stated that a proposal to continue the JJM until 2028 with an enhanced total outlay is under consideration by the government. Shined had asked 'whether the Government has sought an additional 2.79 lakh crore for the completion of the mission' and whether the 'Expenditure Secretary-led panel has approved only a part of the requested amount and proposed a 46% cut in central funding support upto December 2028'. In reply to Shinde's question, Somanna said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during her Budget speech 2025-26, announced extension of Jal Jeevan Mission until 2028 with 'enhanced total outlay'. 'Accordingly, a proposal for continuation of Jal Jeevan Mission until 2028 with enhanced total outlay is under consideration of the Government,' Somanna said. Since the launch of the JJM in 2019, 6.4 lakh water supply schemes with a total estimated cost of Rs 8.29 lakh crore – more than double the scheme's original outlay of Rs 3.60 lakh crore (Centre: Rs 2.08 lakh crore, states: 1.52 lakh crore) – have been approved by the states. To meet the additional funding requirement, the ministry approached the Expenditure Finance Committee, headed by the Expenditure Secretary, to approve an additional Rs 2.79 lakh crore in Central funding over and above the existing Rs 2.08 lakh crore. But the EFC recommended only Rs 1.51 lakh crore as the Central share, 46 per cent lower than what was sought by the ministry, as reported by The Indian Express on April 21. Like the Lok Sabha, members of the Rajya Sabha have also raised questions about the increase in the JJM cost due to the change in guidelines in 2022. On July 21, SP members Javed Ali Khan and Ramji Lal Suman asked the Jal Shakti minister about a change in the JJM guidelines and an increase in the cost.
Deccan Herald
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Eliminate differences among sects in Veerashaiva-Lingayats: Somanna
Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna has appealed to Pancha Peetha heads to take initiative in eliminating the differences between the sects in Veerashaiva-Lingayat community. The Guru and Virakta Parampara of Veerashaiva Lingayat religion, which have a historical background, should come together, he was speaking at the second day of Veerashaiva Peethacharya, Shivacharya summit, organised by the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Shivacharya Samsthana at the Abhinava Renuka Mandir here on said, if the state government had not made any mistake in the social, educational and economic survey, the Pancha Peetha heads would not have come together. There are more than 2,500 Veerashaiva Lingayat mutts in the state, and these should be united," Somanna Somanna also claimed that there are more than two crore Veerashaiva Lingayats in the state. Besides, there is poverty in the community and they need to be brought above the poverty line. The disadvantages caused by sub-sects must be corrected. If the differences between the sub-sects are not eliminated, there will be a great hardship in the coming days," he expressed further stated that along with the census, the caste census will soon begin. Veerashaiva Lingayat should be identified by a single name. "Let us convey the demand of the community to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I will donate 6 months' of my salary for the statue of Renukacharya that is planned to be built at the Rambhapuri Peetha,' he Education Minister Sharanprakash Patil said that "The contribution of the religious mutts to the progress of Karnataka is immense. Innumerable Mutts in the country have provided education along with spirituality." He further said that the Veerashaiva Lingayat religion is not limited to one community. The entire society believes in Veerashaiva because of its principles and beliefs. The introduction of such a religion should be taught to the younger generation, he C C Patil, B P Harish, MLC K S Naveen, former Union Minister G M Siddeshwar, Congress leader Ayanur Manjunath, former MLAs Mahima Patel, H S Shivashankar and H S Shivayogiswamy were present.
The Hindu
22-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Veerashaiva Lingayat mutts of Guru, Virakta traditions should come together: Somanna
Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna has emphasised the need for the coming together of mutts of Guru and Virakta traditions of the Veerashaiva Lingayat in the interest of the community and urged the Panchacharyas to lead the initiation to bury differences among the sub-sects. Inaugurating programmes on the second day of the summit of Veerashaiva Panchacharyas and Shivacharyas in Davangere on Tuesday, Mr. Somanna said that if the State government did not err in the socio-educational and economic survey, the Panchacharyas of the community may not have shared a common platform and efforts to bring together the Guru and Virakta seers may not have begun. Mr. Somanna said that there over 2,500 Veerashaiva Lingayat mutts in the State and there is a need for uniting them as a united Veerashaiva Lingayat will have a great future. 'There are over two crore members of Veerashaiva Lingayat community in the State. There is poverty among the community members and a large number of them are living below poverty line. Efforts are required to pull them up and make amends to the inconveniences being caused to the sub-sects. If the differences among the sub-sects are not buried, then we will have to face great danger in the coming days,' he said. The Minister said that strengthening of the community's roots is not possible by politicians. And, seers should lead the initiative by bringing together the Guru and Virakta traditions. He urged seer of Rambhapuri Peetha Sri Veerasomeshwar Swami to lead the efforts. Mentioning the caste census, he said that the community members should identify themselves as Veerashaiva Lingayat. Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash Patil lauded the role played by the Veerashaiva Lingayat mutts in the field of spirituality and education through mass feeding and establishment of educational institutions. BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai said: 'While the community has a great history, we are not in a position to say that it will have a strong future as the Veerashaiva Lingayat community is in distress.' Mr. Bommai said that Veerashaiva Lingayat community, which has been formed on the basis of humanity, has the power to lead society. 'It is time for putting a full stop to the practice of differentiating between Guru and Viraktas,' he said. Shivaprakash Shivacharya Swami of Basavana Bagewadi, spiritual thinker M.C. Wali, the former MP G.M. Siddeshwar and others spoke during the summit held in the presence of Sri Veerasomeshwara Shivacharya Swami, Sri Siddhalinga Rajadesikendra Swami, Channasiddarama Panditaradhya Swami, Chandrashekhar Shivacharya Swami and Mallikarjun Shivacharya Swami. A host of legislators and political leaders were present.
New Indian Express
21-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Bhubaneswar railway station revamp by Nov: Union Min Somanna
BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar railway station is set to get a complete makeover by November and the redeveloped station will be inaugurated in December this year, informed Union minister of state for Railways and Jal Shakti V Somanna. Somanna, who is on a two-day visit to the state, conducted an extensive inspection of the ongoing construction works at Bhubaneswar station on Saturday and Puri station on Sunday. The city station is being redeveloped at a cost of Rs 398 crore, and over 80 per cent work has been completed so far. 'Construction works are underway on both sides of the station. The station building will be a five-storey building with airport-like facilities, including executive lounges, and designated spaces for commercial use and landscaping,' he said. The redevelopment of the Bhubaneswar railway station is part of a larger effort by the Ministry of Railways to modernise 59 railway stations across Odisha at a total cost of Rs 2,379 crore. Major allocations include Rs 348 crore for Sambalpur, Rs 303 crore for Cuttack, Rs 197 crore for Balasore and Rs 177 crore for Puri. Speaking to mediapersons during the inspection of Puri station on the day, Somanna said Odisha is receiving significantly higher budgetary support for development of railways under the Narendra Modi-led government. 'The state has been allocated Rs 10,599 crore in the 2025-26 railway budget, nearly 12.5 times higher than the average of Rs 838 crore per year during the 2009-2014 period,' he said. The state has seen the completion of 4,046 km of new railway lines and 522 road over bridges (ROBs) and road under bridges (RUBs), alongside 100 per cent railway electrification in the last 10 years. Six Vande Bharat trains are now operating in the state, connecting 17 districts. 'The Centre has planned to invest Rs 50,000 crore for the development of Odisha's railway infrastructure, including 1,200 km of new lines and 2,100 km of multi-tracking, by 2030,' the Union minister said. East Coast Railway general manager Parmeshwar Funkwal and other senior officials were present during the minister's visit to the Bhubaneswar station.
