BJP lost, so funds stopped: Amra Ram accuses CM Sharma of targeting Shekhawati

Jaipur: CPI(M) MP from Sikar, Amra Ram Monday accused Rajasthan chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma of deliberately slowing down Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) projects in the Shekhawati region, alleging political vendetta after BJP’s defeat in the area during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The MP cited a written reply received in the Parliament to support his allegations. He pointed out that despite the Centre releasing its share of funds in 2024 under JJM for construction of a lift canal in Shekhawati for sustainable water resource for tap water connections under the JJM, the Rajasthan govt had failed to provide the required matching state contribution, resulting in major delays in projects across Sikar and Jhunjhunu districts.

“The chief minister is holding back funds and stalling JJM works in Sikar and Jhunjhunu because the BJP lost these seats. This is nothing but political vendetta against the people of Shekhawati,” the MP alleged.

According to Amra Ram, the delay has affected more than 800 villages and 13 towns in the two districts, where residents continue to face acute drinking water shortages. He said several tap water connections under the scheme remain incomplete, forcing villagers to rely on tanker supply and distant water sources.

As per official data cited by him, Rajasthan had provided tap water connections to around 63.35 lakh rural households out of a total 1.07 crore rural households by late Jan 2026, translating into approximately 58.83% coverage under the scheme. He claimed that the water-stressed Shekhawati region continues to lag behind despite being one of the state’s most drought-prone areas.

Amra Ram demanded that Bhajan Lal Sharma govt immediately release the pending state share and expedite all stalled JJM works in Sikar and Jhunjhunu. He said that continued delays would further deepen the drinking water crisis in the arid belt, especially during the summer months.

Launched by the Centre in 2019, the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide functional tap water connections to every rural household in the country. Rajasthan also signed an MoU for JJM 2.0 in March 2026 to accelerate implementation. However, execution on the ground has remained slow in several districts.

This is not the first time the Sikar MP has raised the issue. Amra Ram has repeatedly highlighted drinking water shortages in the Shekhawati region both inside and outside the Parliament over the past several months. The allegations come at a time when the Rajasthan govt is projecting major investments in the water sector, including a proposed ₹32,000 crore drinking water project for Shekhawati.

No immediate response was available from the Chief Minister’s Office or the Public Health Engineering Department regarding the allegations made by the MP.