SDPI SLAMS PROPOSED 46% CUT TO JAL JEEVAN MISSION: CALLS IT A BETRAYAL OF RURAL INDIA

New Delhi, 21st April 2025: Elyas Muhammad Tumbe, National General Secretary of the Social Democratic Party of India strongly condemns the Expenditure Finance Committee’s proposal to cut Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) funding by 46% over the next four years. This drastic reduction of over Rs 1.25 lakh crore threatens to derail the mission’s goal of providing potable water to every rural household by 2028, betraying millions of Indians. The JJM, despite achieving 80% coverage by March 2025, still needs to connect 3.9 crore households, and this cut imposes an unsustainable burden on resource-strapped state governments, particularly in states like West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan.

The government’s justification of cost escalations and fiscal constraints is unacceptable, especially given the reported rise in tap connection costs from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1, 37,500. This demands transparency and accountability, not cuts that penalize rural communities. States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar face significant funding shortfalls, risking stalled progress in critical regions. Clean water is a fundamental right, and compromising it for fiscal expediency is a grave injustice.

The SDPI urges the Union Cabinet to reject this proposal, restore full JJM funding, and conduct a thorough audit of cost escalations. We demand enhanced support for states with low coverage and greater community involvement to ensure sustainability. The government must prioritize the health, dignity, and livelihoods of rural India over short-sighted budgetary measures. 

Elyas Muhammad Tumbe 

National General Secretary