Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has set an ambitious target to provide safe tap water to every household in Andhra Pradesh by 2027. During a review meeting on the rural water supply and Jal Jeevan Mission schemes held at the Secretariat, the CM emphasized that delivering safe drinking water to every house is the government’s primary mission and directed officials to accelerate progress.
The CM highlighted the need for safe tap water in the next three years and criticized the previous YSRCP government for its failure to implement the Jal Jeevan Mission effectively. He pointed out that out of 95.44 lakh households across 26 districts, only 31.68 lakh had tap connections before August 2019. Under the YCP government from 2019 to 2024, only 39.30 lakh additional connections were provided, leaving 28 lakh households still without access to tap water.
Chandrababu Naidu expressed his disappointment over the YSRCP government’s inability to secure sufficient funds for the Jal Jeevan Mission, despite the Centre allocating Rs. 27,248 crore. He noted that the YSRCP administration spent only Rs. 4,235 crore, which slowed the program’s progress, particularly in areas that needed matching grants. Naidu cited States like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala as examples of effective implementation of the scheme. The CM called for a comprehensive action plan to ensure the permanent supply of safe drinking water.
He stressed the importance of coordination with irrigation authorities to ensure proper water usage and capacity management from nearby reservoirs. The government aims to deliver continuous water supply to the remaining 28 lakh households and use technology like SCADA to monitor leakages and improve efficiency. Naidu also instructed officials to cancel tenders for non-progressive work and rectify the mistakes of the previous administration. He reiterated that the goal is to provide safe tap water to all homes by 2027, urging the need to secure additional funds from the Centre and improve contractor oversight to maintain the quality of work. Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, along with other officials, participated in the review.