New Delhi: Express concern about the misuse of funds, a parliamentary panel He said that the Water Resources Department, the development of the river and the rejuvenation of Ganga, used only around 58 percent of the revised allocation of RS 21,640.88 million Ministry Jal Shakti To strengthen monitoring and implementation mechanisms.
In his report presented in the Parliament, the Permanent Committee of Water Resources said that almost 40 percent of the assigned funds remained not spent and highlighted delays in the execution of funds and the execution of the project.
The Ministry has attributed the low expense to the fact that the expense generally increases after the monsoon season and assured the panel that the pending proposals worth 3,000 million rupees were under active consideration.
The report highlighted significant increases in budget allocations for key schemes under the Jal Shakti Ministry.
The total budget for the department has risen to RS 25,276.83 million rupees for 2025-26, an increase of 18.54 percent with respect to 21,323.10 million rupees assigned in the previous year. The increase is largely promoted by higher assignments for groundwater management, the development of the river basin and the Polavaram Irrigation Project.
The allocation for the management and regulation of groundwater has increased by 56.61 percent to RS 509 million rupees in 2025-26, which reflects the impulse of the Government to strengthen the mapping and management of groundwater under the National Mapeo and Aquifer Management Program (NAQUIM).
The river basin management program has also received an increase of 56.98 percent, with RS 243 million rupees assigned for 2025-26. The Brahmaputra Board, which manages flood control and erosion in the northeast, is expected to assume new initiatives, including the preparation of master plans for 15 sub -basis.
However, some schemes have faced budget cuts. The National Hydrology Project (NHP) saw a 98 percent reduction, from RS 661.20 million rupees in 2024-25 to RS 13 million rupees in 2025-26, as will conclude in September 2025.
Similarly, the allocation for the development scheme of the water command and management area (CADWM) has been reduced by 39.28 percent to RS 850 million rupees, after an expense lower than expected in the previous year due to the late approval of a submchema.
The Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal), focused on underground water management, has been assigned RS 1,780.40 million rupees by 2025-26, which marks a slight increase of RS 1,778 million rupees in 2024-25. However, the scheme faced operational challenges last year due to the transition to a new fund flow model, which delayed the disbursement of funds.
The Ministry has assured the panel that the transition will be completed soon to guarantee a smoother implementation.
The report also examined the state of the Polavaram Irrigation Project in Andhra Pradesh, which received an assignment of RS 5,936 million rupees for 2025-26, compared to RS 5,512.50 million rupees in the previous year.
The project is expected to declare a national project under the reorganization law of Andhra Pradesh of 2014, in March 2026, with provisions for an extension of one year.
The panel indicated that RS 30,436.95 million rupees had been approved for the first phase of the project, whose objective is to store water to more than 41.15 meters of elevation.
The panel also raised concerns about the capacity of the Brahmaputra Board to implement flooding and drainage control projects.
Of 415 sanctioned positions, 209 remain vacancies, including key technical positions. The panel emphasized the need for immediate recruitment to fill these gaps and guarantee an effective project execution.
The Committee also requested a greater approach to the collection of rainwater, noting that although the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch The Rain Campaign has progressed, no direct financial support has been provided to the states for the collection of rainwater.
The panel recommended greater financing and direct incentives to local states and organizations to accelerate the construction and repair of rainwater collection structures.
The report marked continuous problems with Interlinking River projects, including the stagnant implementation of the Ken-Betwa Link project and other important interstate water transfer schemes.
The panel urged the ministry to solve interstate disputes and fast -track approvals for these critical projects.
The Committee requested better supervision of the execution at the state level and urged the ministry to address the delays in the release of the fund and the completion of the project. He also recommended a reevaluation of the allocation of resources to ensure efficient use and timely implementation of the project.
