Jaipur/Banswara: Fresh allegations of financial irregularities have surfaced in Rajasthan’s Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), this time linked to a major drinking water project in Banswara district. According to an investigative report by Expose Now, serious questions have been raised regarding the execution of a rural water supply scheme awarded to M/s Jagdish Prasad Agarwal, where alleged losses of nearly ₹25 crore to the public exchequer are being claimed.
The project, undertaken under the Central Government’s Jal Jeevan Mission, was intended to provide tap water connectivity to rural households in tribal and remote areas of Banswara. However, documents cited in the report suggest that despite substantial payments being cleared, work progress on the ground remained questionable, incomplete, or delayed. Concerns have also been raised over quality control, billing practices, and monitoring by the concerned engineering officials.
The report alleges that payments were processed in favour of the contractor despite discrepancies in execution records. It further claims that certain works were certified without full completion, while some pipeline and infrastructure components allegedly did not match the quantities shown in official paperwork. If verified, such actions may point to a larger nexus involving contractors and supervising authorities.
The Jal Jeevan Mission was launched in 2019 to provide functional household tap connections to every rural home, making transparency and accountability crucial in all related contracts. Any misuse of funds in such welfare projects directly impacts rural families waiting for clean drinking water access.
The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is already probing multiple JJM-related irregularities in the state involving forged documents, manipulated tenders and inflated contracts worth hundreds of crores. In recent months, several senior officials and former bureaucrats have come under investigation in connection with separate JJM scam cases.
More Read
Local residents in Banswara have reportedly demanded a physical audit of the completed work, verification of pipeline networks, and strict action against any officials or private firms found responsible. Public representatives have also called for transparent re-evaluation of project quality and expenditure.
Experts say rural infrastructure schemes require third-party inspections, geo-tagged progress reports, and digital billing verification to prevent misuse of taxpayer money. If these allegations are proven, the case may become another major embarrassment for authorities overseeing Rajasthan’s drinking water projects.
