BJP MLA Exposes Lack Of Drinking Water In Over 40 Villages In Madhya Pradesh, Demands Probe

In a significant embarrassment to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, a BJP MLA revealed on Friday that over 40 villages in MP’s Sanchi still lack drinking water facilities.

“People are not getting tap water despite work on paper. More than 40 villages in Sanchi are still waiting for drinking water,” stated Prabhuram Chaudhary, the BJP MLA from the Sanchi assembly seat in Sehore district, during an Assembly session.

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Chaudhary, a senior BJP leader and former Health Minister in ex-CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s cabinet, made these remarks during a discussion on the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission.

He demanded an investigation and stringent action against officials who falsely reported the project’s completion on paper while neglecting on-the-ground work.

Congress Criticized the BJP

Following Chaudhary’s comments, the opposition Congress criticized the BJP government, asserting that the Jal Jeevan Mission’s success is far from reality.

“There are irregularities in the Jal Jeevan Mission. Work is on paper only and nothing on the ground. Even BJP MLAs reveal the reality of the Jal Jeevan Mission,” stated Congress MLA Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya assured the House that the government would order an inquiry and punish those found guilty.

The Jal Jeevan Mission, launched by the Central government in 2019, aims to provide tap water to every household. The “Nal-Jal” scheme, part of this mission, is under the Jal Shakti Ministry, while states are responsible for execution on the ground.

According to data from the Jal Shakti Ministry, around 1.11 crore households in Madhya Pradesh are register for the Jal Jeevan Mission, with 62 percent receiving tap water as of April 2024. The ministry also stated that the 100 percent target would be achieved by the end of the year.