Thiruvananthapuram: Following the stoppage of state funds, the suspension of central funds too has brought the Jal Jeevan Mission project to a complete standstill. Due to the lack of funds, contractors have stopped nearly all ongoing work. Projects worth over ₹25,000 crore are currently pending.

Although the second phase was announced in the central budget, the office memorandum has not yet been issued. Five months into the financial year, the order has still not been released, preventing the distribution of funds.

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The Water Authority owes contractors approximately ₹5,600 crore. Many contractors, unable to receive payment for completed work, have fallen into debt and are reportedly on the verge of suicide, according to P. Nagaratnam, General Secretary of the All Kerala Government Contractors Federation.

Irregularities in the implementation of the project in some states have affected the second phase. Eleven states claimed to have provided potable water to 100 per cent of rural households. However, elected representatives pointed out inaccuracies in these claims, prompting an investigation by the central government that found the allegations to be credible.

A central team also visited Kerala for inspection. While pipelines have been laid in around eight lakh homes in the state, water supply has not been provided to all. However, these figures were recorded separately. The central team’s assessment was that the data provided by the Kerala government was accurate. Over the past four years, Kerala has supplied drinking water connections to approximately 55 per cent of households, amounting to 21 lakh connections to date.

The central government is likely to issue the office memorandum only after the deficiencies in the projects of states found to have irregularities are rectified.