SHILLONG, Jan 8: Amid allegations of unscrupulous implementation of the Centre’s flagship programme, Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), in the state, PHE Minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar has stated that procurement of pipes has been a major challenge which now remains solved to 
a larger degree.
It may be recalled that recently the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), North Khasi Hills District, had recently brought to the fore alleged irregularities in the implementation of the central scheme in Meghalaya. The Union had alleged that the 15 mm GI pipes that were supplied by Jindal (India) Limited were lightweight as opposed to the government-prescribed standard weight after conducting an inspection.
The Minister in-charge of PHE said, “Pipe supply was a problem especially procurement and for all those days we depended only on one company for supply to the PHE department but now we are in the position to take from another companies”.
Pointing out that there is huge demand of pipes in the entire country, he said that it is not easy to procure the pipes as the rate fixed by the department was the cheapest in the North East when compared to other states.
“There are companies who have come but after they know the rate at which we purchase, they run away. It is very less maybe the cheapest in the North East,” he added.
The PHE Minister, however, said, “Somehow as of now we are in a position far better than before and more companies have come up to supply.”
“No we have three companies for supply but we are trying to empanel more of them. We are in the process, the more company we get the more quantity we will get,” he added.
The PHE minister further said that finding out the source and making DPR are among other challenges. “The officials along with the village committee have to identify the right source and the department will make a DPR; it takes time and it is not easy as the department has to complete all the work on time,” he said.
The state government has set a target of providing water taps to more than two lakh households in the state by the end of financial year under the JJM.
Tongkhar, had earlier said that he is working and following closely on the project to ensure that the state achieves the target of connecting 2lakh households with water taps.
Jal Jeevan Mission, funded by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India.