At least seven MLAs of the ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh put their government in an embarrassing situation in the assembly on Friday leveling allegations of serious irregularities and corruption in the implementation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’.
The Opposition Congress staged a walkout in the House on the issue claiming that the level of corruption in the scheme would be massive as the ruling party MLAs are themselves raising many objections against it.
Speaking on the issue, Legislative Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar said the progress of the Central government’s ambitious project should be reviewed periodically at the state level.
During question hour on the fifth day of the ongoing monsoon session, seven BJP MLAs, Satish Malviya, Hardeep Singh Dang, Prabhuram Chaudhary, Ramesh Khatik, Kalu Singh Thakur, Sanjay Pathak, and Amreesh Sharma, raised questions on the mismanagement of the scheme and accused the state Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department officials of corruption. Since State PHE Minister Sampatiya Uikey was not present in the House, Legislative Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya replied to the questions on her behalf.
The BJP MLAs complained that there were no water tanks in many places, at others, water pipelines have not been laid, motors are not made available and where motors are fitted, many are not functioning.
Sanchi MLA Prabuhram Chaudhary, who joined the BJP after quitting Congress in 2020, said the PHE officials had shown the scheme in his constituency complete on paper despite serious shortcomings.
MLA Ramesh Khatik alleged that even the Anganwadis at several places in his constituency were not getting water. He said inferior quality pipes, water tanks, and motors were purchased and the scheme was not made available to 80 per cent of his constituency.
Kailash Vijayvargiya assured the treasury benches redressal of their grievances and inspections to be carried out immediately. He said the collectors of all districts would be directed to hold meetings on the scheme regularly by involving public representatives and senior officials.
Speaker Tomar said apart from reviewing the progress of the project at the district level, there is a need for monitoring works under it at the state level too. He pointed out that the ambitious project of the central government is for the benefit of the people.
The ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ aims to provide safe and adequate piped drinking water to all households in India.