CM Alleges Non-Payment Of Funds, Withdrawal Of Schemes For TN
To sustain the progress of the projects and to ensure timely completion, the State Government had already released an advance of Rs 2,550 crore from State resources: M K Stalin
CHENNAI: Pointing to fresh instances of the Union Government reneging on the release of funds due to Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M K Stalin said that an amount of Rs 3,112 crore was pending with regard to the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and it had been indicated that assistance to the tune of Rs 2,283 crore for the Hogenakkal Phase–III Combined Water Supply Scheme would be withdrawn.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, Stalin urged the release of the pending Rs 3,312 due for the JJM and give concurrence and financial support for the Hogenakkal CWSS proposed as an externally aided project with JICA assistance at a total cost of Rs.8,428 crore, including a Union Government share of Rs 2,283 crore.
In addition, the Chief Minister sought sanction for 10 new Multi villages schemes (MVS) at a total cost of Rs 7,590 crore, covering districts such as Dindigul, Namakkal, Tiruchirappalli, Karur, Tiruvallur, Pudukottai, Mayiladuthurai, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, Tiruppur and Erode under JJM 2.0 to achieve full saturation of rural habitations in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu had consistently been at the forefront in providing safe and assured drinking water in all parts of the State and had made significant progress under JJM by providing functional household tap connections (FHTCs) to 1.12 crore homes (90%), out of its 1.25 crore rural households, he said.
Though the State took up 45 MVS, 56 Retrofitting CWSS and 21,258 Single Village Schemes (SVS) at a total cost of Rs. 18,123 crores in the first phase, only Rs 5,914 crore has been released by the Union Government as its share when all SVS and 92 out of 101 MVS and retrofitting schemes had been completed, he said
However, only Rs. 5,914 crores has been released by the Government of India as its share under JJM, leaving a pending balance of Rs.3,112 crore. Although Rs.2,434 crore was allocated for Tamil Nadu during 2024–25, only Rs.732 crore has been released, and no funds have been received since September 2024.
To sustain the progress of the projects and to ensure timely completion, the State Government had already released an advance of Rs 2,550 crore from State resources, he said.
For the Hogenakkal Phase–III Combined Water Supply Scheme, which was approved in the State Level Scheme Sanctioning Committee of the Ministry of Jal Shakti on June 15, 2023 at a total cost of Rs 8,428 crore, including a JJM share of Rs 2,283 crore, the State initiated preparatory work based on the assurance of support under JJM, he said.
But the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation had recently indicated that central assistance cannot be extended at present, pending approval for the extension of the Mission, he said, adding that withdrawal of support to this critical project at this stage would significantly affect the prospects of adequate drinking water supply in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts.
In view of the recent decision of the Union Governments to extend the JJM, Stalin requested concurrence and financial support for the Hogenakkal Phase–III scheme, enabling the State to proceed with the JICA loan agreement.