Kolkata: The All Bengal P.H.E. Contractors’ Association (Civil), representing contractors engaged with the Public Health and Technical Department of West Bengal for decades, has raised serious concerns over non-payment of dues under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
The Jal Jeevan Mission—launched in 2019 with an estimated outlay of ₹2,08,652 crore—aimed to provide piped drinking water connections to all households by 2024. In West Bengal, where projects worth ₹56,000 crore were sanctioned, contractors claim unpaid bills of around ₹5,000 crore, with an additional ₹2,500 crore pending submission.
Despite the state’s budget allocation of ₹11,636 crore for 2025–26, the delay in fund disbursal has left contractors in financial distress. They say the situation threatens the livelihood of lakhs of families, especially with Durga Puja approaching.
Voices from the Association
- Manash Chatterjee, Jn. Secretary, ABPHECA (Civil): “We pledged personal resources to ensure safe drinking water supply, but payments have been withheld for months, causing a severe financial crisis.”
- Tapas Ghosh, Chief Whip, Howrah PHE Contractor Association: “Despite repeated appeals, no mechanism has been set up to resolve the crisis. Families fear a gloomy festive season.”
- Sanjay Biswas, General Secretary, Murshidabad District Contractors’ Association: “We urge both Centre and State to clear the backlog and secure livelihoods.”
The association has appealed for urgent intervention by both Centre and State to resolve the crisis and ensure timely payments under JJM.
