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Siddaramaiah urges centre to release pending funds under Jal Jeevan Mission
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urged the Union Government to immediately release pending funds and reimburse dues under the Jal Jeevan Mission, noting that Karnataka has invested ₹17,554 crore despite two years without central support. He spoke in a video conference with Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil about Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 and highlighted extensive progress and independent verification of projects, including wide rural water connections and ongoing reforms.
Why It Matters
The appeal highlights a funding gap affecting rural drinking water initiatives, while Karnataka cites substantial state-led investment and progress, underscoring the scale and governance measures behind Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0.
Timeline
1 Event
Siddaramaiah chairs video conference with Union Jal Shakti Minister on Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0; urges centre to release pending funds
April 29, 2026
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah participated in a video conference with Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil regarding the MoU for Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0. He asserted Karnataka's commitment to safe and sustainable drinking water for rural households, noting the state has invested ₹17,554.63 crore despite no central support for over two years, including ₹8,880.71 crore towards anticipated central share. He highlighted that Karnataka has achieved 88.06 lakh functional household tap connections (out of 101.31 lakh rural households, 86.93% coverage as of April 2026) and completed 48,789 of 66,344 works (28,809 in-village; 19,980 in schools and anganwadis). The CM stressed independent third-party verification, Bureau Veritas involvement, and ongoing reforms such as an O&M Policy, PMU for operations, Jeeva Jal app, GIS-based asset management, and real-time monitoring. He called for the release of pending funds and reimbursements to sustain momentum and universal access to safe drinking water.