Those involved in irregularities in Jal Jeevan Mission to face strict action: Rajasthan minister

Rajasthan minister Kanhaiya Lal on Wednesday said strict action will be taken against those found involved in alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme in the state.

The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) minister said this while replying to a query by a member during Question Hour in the Rajasthan assembly.

The Jal Jeevan Mission launched by the Union government aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through household tap connections and it was being implemented by the PHED in Rajasthan.

Targeting the former Congress government, Lal said cases of large-scale irregularities and corruption in the implementation of ambitious schemes like the Jal Jeevan Mission had come to light during its tenure.

Due to this, Rajasthan stands last in the country in the implementation of this scheme.

He said the BJP government will investigate the irregularities in the scheme and take strict legal action against the culprits.

Lal said the contractors involved in corruption will also be blacklisted and recovery will be started from them.

The Enforcement Directorate has registered a money laundering case in connection with the alleged irregularities in the execution of the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme in Rajasthan.

The case stems from a Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) FIR which alleged that Padamchand Jain, proprietor of Shree Shyam Tubewell Company, Mahesh Mittal, proprietor of Shree Ganpati Tubewell Company and others were involved in ''giving bribes'' to public servants in order to obtain illegal protection, tenders, getting bills sanctioned and covering up irregularities.