SHILLONG, March 13: Reacting to MDA coalition partner BJP’s clamour over the alleged shoddy implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in the Garo Hills region, Opposition Leader Mukul Sangma observed that the leadership must take cognizance of the issues flagged by the government’s allies.
It may be noted that the BJP has been raising the issue of alleged shoddy implementation of the central scheme in Garo Hills, while the government claims otherwise.
The saffron party has lambasted the PHE department, while a number of beneficiaries have also complained about corruption in the implementation of JJM. It has been alleged that the beneficiaries are not covered without payment of bribes.
“When you are making such statement indicating concern pertaining to irregularities taking place in respect to implementation for programmes as a political party since they are in the government, it is incumbent upon them to take up the issues with their coalition partners and the government,” observed Sangma.
Mukul Sagma went on to add that there are many more instances of alleged irregularities not just in respect of JJM but also the power sector and many centrally sponsored programmes, on which the coalition partners including the UDP and BJP have gone on record making statement.
“Therefore, once these statement have come, party leadership must take cognizance and ask for an inquiry and come clean stating this is the reality and truth and have no doubt,” he added.
Sangma stated that if a project is not implemented properly, it amounts to an act of corruption, while adding that the government must protect the interest of the state in such a case.
Addressing the Assembly on the first day of the ongoing budget session, Governor Satya Pl Malik had informed the House that altogether 1.20 lakh houses have been provided with functional household tap connections (FHTCs), out of the targeted 3.38 lakh households for the 2021-22 fiscal under JJM.
He also said that 2.14 lakh or 36.35% of the 5.89 lakh rural households in state have been covered under FHTCs and 100% households in 1,287 villages provided with tap water connections.