Centre cracks down on Jal Jeevan Mission scams with big penalties
After PM Modi called for tough action, the Centre has slapped over ₹129 crore in fines on contractors across seven states for irregularities in the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)—with Gujarat alone facing most of the penalties.
Officials, contractors, and inspection agencies are all under scrutiny as the government tries to clean up the mission.
Why does this matter?
This crackdown is about protecting public money and making sure rural families actually get safe water.
The JJM had seen costs shoot up by nearly ₹17,000 crore after changes in guidelines lifted expenditure checks, leading to cost escalations.
Now, stricter checks and phased funding aim to keep things transparent as the mission is proposed to continue until 2028, pending Union Cabinet approval—so people can trust these projects are really working.