Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asked chief secretary Manoj Pant to verify a government report claiming that 93 lakh rural households had been given water supply after her office was flooded with complaints that many households did not get water to date even after pipelines reached the houses.

“According to government reports, 75 per cent of the rural households have been given water supply. I would say that laying pipelines to connect households does not mean that water supply has been given. I would ask the chief secretary to verify the figure as I received complaints that many households did not get water supply despite pipelines being laid,” said the chief minister after holding a meeting with senior ministers and top government officials at Nabanna on Tuesday evening.

The state government had laid pipelines to 1.77 crore rural households under
the Centre’s Jal Jeevan Mission project.

The ₹58,000 crore project, which was shouldered on a 50:50 basis between the Bengal government and the Centre, was supposed to be completed by April 2025.

“But the progress is not satisfactory. So far, 93 lakh houses have been provided with water. After receiving complaints, the chief minister wanted to ensure that water supply reached the houses connected with pipelines. She also set up a committee headed by the chief secretary to monitor the project so that it is completed by April 2025,” said a senior official.

Mamata has identified a reason behind the project’s slow progress. She said in some areas, DPRs were prepared without identifying the source of water from where it could be supplied to households.

“Some DPRs were prepared without identifying the source of water. This is why pipelines were laid in those areas but water could not be supplied. I am asking the chief secretary to hold meetings and identify nearby water sources from where water could be supplied to households,” said the chief minister.

Mamata said some people were resisting the state’s efforts to lay pipelines.

“The DGP would look into the matter. Nobody would be spared if anyone tried to
prevent laying pipelines for water supply,” said the chief minister.

Sources in the government said she had laid stress on the project for two reasons.

First, she wanted to use the project as a trump card ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, particularly in Jungle Mahal where the scarcity of water remained an issue over the years.

Second, BJP leaders criticise the chief minister alleging that the state failed to supply water through pipelines even though the Centre had released a handsome amount under the project.

“She does not want to give a chance to the BJP to use the project as a tool to campaign against her government ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls. This is why she wants to complete the project ahead of elections,” said a senior bureaucrat.