Srinagar, Oct 7 Jammu and Kashmir could not access a substantial portion of Central assistance available under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), with the Union Territory receiving Rs 5,754.42 crore against an allocation of Rs 9,657.20 crore between 2019-20 and 2023-24, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has observed.

After excluding Rs 67.86 crore transferred to Ladakh, the net Central assistance received by J&K stood at Rs 5,686.55 crore, leaving a shortfall of Rs 3,970.64 crore against the total allocation, according to the CAG’s Composite Audit Report (Civil) for the period ended March 2024.
The audit attributed the shortfall mainly to delays in utilisation of funds, which resulted in the UT failing to meet conditions for release of subsequent instalments and tranches.
Under the JJM Operational Guidelines, the first instalment accounts for 50 per cent of the annual allocation and is released in two tranches. The second tranche is released once utilisation of available funds exceeds 80 per cent, subject to prescribed conditions.
The audit found that during 2020-21 and 2021-22, only the first tranche of the first instalment was released to J&K because of slow utilisation. As a result, subsequent tranches were not released automatically.
In 2022-23, both tranches of the first instalment were released, with J&K receiving Rs 1,439.51 crore against an allocation of Rs 3,039.11 crore. The second instalment, however, was not availed due to low utilisation.
During 2023-24, J&K received Rs 3,267.12 crore against an earmarked allocation of Rs 2,867.12 crore, including an additional Rs 400 crore under the Additional Functional Household Tap Connection component.
The audit recorded Central assistance of Rs 389.89 crore for 2019-20, including Rs 67.86 crore later transferred to Ladakh. J&K received Rs 53.72 crore in 2020-21 against an allocation of Rs 681.77 crore and Rs 604.18 crore in 2021-22 against Rs 2,747.17 crore.
The CAG concluded that J&K’s inability to utilise funds in accordance with prescribed conditions prevented it from accessing the full Central allocation under the mission.
In its response submitted in August 2025, the department attributed the initial slow implementation to poor response to tenders, disruptions following the August 2019 constitutional changes, COVID-19 restrictions and shortages of pipes.
The department said these issues were subsequently resolved and execution improved from 2022-23, leading to higher utilisation of funds. It also highlighted the additional Rs 400 crore provided by the Centre during 2023-24.
The department further noted that the Union Government has extended the Jal Jeevan Mission nationally up to December 2028.
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