In Manipur, the opposition Congress party has raised fresh concerns about a possible multi‑crore scandal tied to the central Jal Jeevan Mission, a scheme meant to bring tap water to rural homes.
Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, a Lok Sabha MP for Inner Manipur, told reporters at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi that the government’s claim of 80 percent coverage for rural tap water simply does not match reality on the ground.
He has filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Manipur High Court, demanding a court‑monitored audit of all funds released and spent on the Jal Jeevan Mission. The petition seeks a district‑by‑district audit, verification of household connection claims, and a clear guarantee of at least two hours of tap water daily for every household, citing Article 21 of the Constitution, which protects the right to safe drinking water.
Akoijam says he personally visited dozens of villages to cross‑check government data. “I was shocked to find big gaps,” he said. In many villages, no households reported a working tap water connection, contradicting the ministry’s figures. The MP added that the government had only started laying pipes after he highlighted the issue, revealing a mismatch between official reports and actual progress.
He warns that such discrepancies point to a “systemic problem of data manipulation and misuse of funds” under the Jal Jeevan Mission in Manipur. The MP also noted that many earlier complaints from districts flagged similar irregularities, suggesting widespread misappropriation of public money, lack of accountability, and weak monitoring by implementing agencies.
The Congress insists that urgent, transparent investigation is needed to restore public trust and to ensure that Manipur’s citizens receive the promised drinking water.
Source: ianslive
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