Khandre pulls up JJM engineers over lack of knowledge on water budgeting

Minister for Rural Development and Pannchayat Raj Eshwar Khandre presiding over a progress review meeting at the zilla panchayat in Mysuru on Wednesday.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar B. Khandre pulled up Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) engineers for their lack of knowledge about water budgeting after they failed to explain the concept during a progress review meeting at the Mysuru Zilla Panchayat office here on Wednesday.

“What is water budgeting?” was the question posed by the Minister to the engineers. However, the officials were left fumbling for an answer, prompting Mr. Khandre to express displeasure and question how they could discharge their duties without understanding such a basic concept.

The Minister then explained the concept to the engineers, stressing the need for a scientific assessment of water availability and future demand before planning drinking water projects.

He said water budgeting involved assessing the number of borewells and open wells in each village, the groundwater table and the availability of other water sources. It also required estimating water demand for the next one and five years, taking into account population growth and the requirements of schools, colleges, anganwadis, hospitals and industries.

Officials should also assess whether surface water sources would be sufficient to provide safe drinking water to rural households over the next 30 years and plan projects accordingly, he said.

Pointing out that the State government was spending ₹67,000 crore on multi-village and single-village drinking water schemes, Mr. Khandre questioned the purpose of such huge investments if water failed to reach households.

He directed Deputy Secretaries to personally visit villages and verify whether the Jal Jeevan Mission was ensuring water supply to every village and, more importantly, to the last household.

Making use of travel time to review rural development works, Mr. Khandre held a meeting with Mandya Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) K.R. Nandini inside his car while travelling from Mandya to Mysuru on Wednesday.

On his way to attend a progress review meeting in Mysuru, the Minister discussed various development issues concerning Mandya district.

He directed officials to identify 50 villages with high public movement and construct bus shelters under the VB-G RAM G scheme. He also called for opening more Akka Cafes under the scheme to provide livelihood opportunities to women’s self-help groups, citing the success of existing cafes.

Regarding allegations that 1,881 illegal e-Swathus had been issued in Indavalu Gram Panchayat by allowing unauthorised layouts, he directed officials to ensure transparency in the ongoing e-Swathu campaign. He ordered the cancellation of e-Swathus found to have been issued illegally on the basis of forged documents.

Reviewing lake encroachments, Mr. Khandre said that of the 417 lakes under gram panchayat limits in Mandya district, 155 had encroachments covering 319 acres. Encroachments on 162 acres across 133 lakes had been cleared, while those on another 158 acres across 22 lakes remained to be removed.