Shillong: More than Rs. 700 crore in payments for Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) projects remain unsettled in Meghalaya, Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister Marcuise N. Marak revealed on Tuesday.
The minister clarified that the delay is not linked to lapses by the state but stems from pending decisions at the central level.
According to him, the Government of India had fixed March 31, 2024, as the original deadline, but no fresh directives were issued after that date.
Recently, the Centre extended the overall JJM target to 2028.
“The payments are stuck because of procedural requirements. The funds have already been earmarked by the Jal Shakti Ministry. Once the audit process, as mandated by the Finance Ministry, is completed, the Centre will release the money to the state,” Marak explained.
He assured that contractors would be paid immediately after the release of funds.
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Marak admitted that the financial bottleneck has slowed down several projects.
While some contractors have kept work going despite the strain, many others have suspended construction due to the absence of payments.
Acknowledging the difficulties faced by those in the field, the minister expressed sympathy and said the government is committed to resolving the matter quickly.
“We understand the hardships, but once the Centre clears the audit and releases funds, the state will start disbursing payments without delay,” he said.
