Sepahijala JJM contractors allege payments for completed drinking water projects have remained pending for nearly two years, with Rs 378 crore reportedly due and only Rs 27 crore received, urging authorities to clear outstanding payments before Durga Puja.
Contractors engaged in Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) works in Tripura’s Sepahijala district have raised concerns over prolonged delays in receiving payments for completed drinking water projects, with several contractors alleging that their dues have remained pending for nearly two years.
The contractors recently approached the office of the Executive Engineer concerned and sought immediate intervention to clear the outstanding payments, particularly before the upcoming Durga Puja season. According to them, several projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission were completed 100 per cent nearly two years ago and are already supplying drinking water to beneficiaries across different areas.
The contractors said the prolonged delay in payment has created significant financial difficulties for those involved in the execution of the projects. They claimed that funds have not been adequately available with the department since 2024, resulting in a deadlock over payments despite the completion and operation of several schemes.
Sepahijala district was recently recognised as the best district in the North-East Zone under the National Water Awards of the Ministry of Jal Shakti for its work in water conservation, groundwater-level improvement and achievement of targets under the Jal Jeevan Mission. President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to the district.
However, contractors associated with JJM works have raised questions over the payment situation despite the district’s recognition for its performance in the water sector.
According to the contractors, the Executive Engineer had submitted details of pending dues amounting to around Rs 378 crore. Against this amount, they claimed, the department has reportedly received only Rs 27 crore so far.
The contractors said the delay has adversely affected their financial position. Many claimed that they are unable to clear payments to raw material suppliers and meet other expenses incurred during the execution of the projects. Some contractors also reportedly arranged funds through private financiers and credit arrangements with the expectation that their dues would be cleared after completion of the schemes.
“As the payment is stuck, we are unable to pay our workers and at the same time handling immense pressure from the creditors who had been demanding their money back,” one of the contractors said.
The contractors said they received some relief after funds were released, but alleged that the payment process was subsequently delayed further following a new direction requiring site inspections before payments could be processed.
They questioned the need for additional inspections, claiming that the completed JJM projects had already undergone several rounds of verification. According to them, officials from the Ministry of Jal Shakti in Delhi had visited project sites, while geotagging and inspections had also been carried out by the district administration and its field-level staff.
The contractors further pointed to the terms of their agreements with the Executive Engineer, which they said provided for running payments for works valued above Rs 1 lakh. They argued that payments should therefore be processed for completed portions of the projects instead of being held up for extended periods.
Several contractors also claimed that many of the schemes for which payments remain pending have been operational for almost two years. Beneficiaries are already receiving drinking water through these schemes, while operators have reportedly been appointed by the concerned panchayats.
According to the contractors, payments are currently being transferred through the SNS SPARSH system. They said the process may take around 20 to 25 days for the amount to reach their respective bank accounts after the payment is initiated.
Chief Engineer Rajib Majumdar has reportedly instructed Executive Engineers to utilise the recently released funds within seven days so that additional funds can subsequently be released. However, the contractors maintained that the amount received so far is insufficient to settle the large volume of outstanding dues.
The issue is not limited to Sepahijala district, with contractors in different parts of Tripura also reportedly raising protests over delays in the release of Jal Jeevan Mission funds.
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The contractors have urged the authorities to take immediate steps to resolve the payment deadlock and clear their outstanding dues before Durga Puja. They warned that failure to release the pending payments could further increase financial pressure on contractors, workers, suppliers and other stakeholders associated with JJM projects.
