New Delhi, Sep 25 (KNO): Jal Shakti Minister, Javed Ahmed Rana Thursday called on Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Chandrakant Raghunath Patil, in New Delhi to apprise him of critical issues currently confronting Jammu and Kashmir.
Javed Rana informed the Union Minister about the extensive damage to water supply and irrigation infrastructure caused by recent flash floods in the J&K and the urgent need for sustained financial support to complete ongoing schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
During the meeting, Javed Rana conveyed the gravity of the situation following the unprecedented flash floods that hit various parts of Jammu & Kashmir during August and September 2025. He informed the Minister that the floods severely disrupted public life, damaged essential infrastructure, and caused large-scale destruction to the water supply, irrigation and flood protection systems.
The Minister highlighted that the damage has deeply impacted access to safe drinking water and irrigation across both Jammu and Kashmir divisions, creating immediate challenges for public health, agriculture and the overall well-being of rural communities.
The Jal Shakti Minister informed the Union Minister that the J&K Jal Shakti Department has taken swift emergency measures to restore basic services in the affected areas.
Javed Rana requested a special financial package from the Ministry of Jal Shakti to support full-scale restoration and to invest in long-term resilience-building measures. He emphasized that such support is not only critical for restoring normalcy but also for building infrastructure that can better withstand the growing impacts of climate change and extreme weather events in the region.
In addition to the flood-related concerns, the Minister also raised the issue of the critical funding gap under the Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide safe drinking water to every rural household in Jammu & Kashmir. He informed that while a large number of schemes have made substantial progress, including many nearing completion, the shortfall in Central assistance and delay in fund releases have posed serious constraints on meeting the ambitious timeline of full saturation by March 2025.
The Minister pointed out that despite the J&K’s consistent progress and efficient implementation of JJM schemes, including the successful completion of a significant number of projects.
Rana underscored the need for immediate release of additional funds to meet outstanding payments and to maintain the pace of execution.
He urged the Union Minister to personally intervene and facilitate the timely release of central funds and sanction of additional financial support, so that the JJM implementation in J&K does not suffer avoidable delays.
Expressing his appreciation for the support received, Javed Rana thanked C.R. Patil for his patient hearing, assurances and positive response to the issues raised.
He reiterated the Jammu & Kashmir Government’s firm commitment, under the leadership of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, to the goal of “Har Ghar Jal” and to building robust, climate-resilient water infrastructure that ensures the right to safe drinking water for every citizen.
The Union Minister assured Javed Rana of full cooperation from the Government of India and acknowledged the need for urgent and sustained intervention to support the people of Jammu & Kashmir in this time of crisis—(KNO)