Report No. 07 of 2025-Performance and Compliance Audit Report of Government of West Bengal for the year ended 31 March 2024.

What did the audit examine?

The audit examined the implementation and financial management of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in West Bengal by the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) for the period 2019-20 to 2023-24.

Who / what it concerns

Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Government of West Bengal

What the auditor found

• 58.74 lakh FHTCs (34% coverage) out of 1.75 crore households as of March 2024, 1.16 crore households uncovered
• Only 53.60% of Central allocation of `19,595.02 crore released by GoI
• 24.52 lakh households (33.22%) covered in Japanese Encephalitis districts out of 73.81 lakh
• 18% of schools and 50% of Anganwadi centres without tap connections
• 707 dropped schemes costing `1.62 crore on DPRs
• 18 CWPP non-functional, 25 unable to treat fluoride, wasteful expenditure of `2.13 crore
• 10% agency profit added to costs, undue benefit of `7.25 crore to ISAs
• 6.41 crore spent on non-admissible repair works
• None of 455 completed schemes handed over to communities
• Only 22 of 219 labs NABL accredited
• 87 out of 88 labs not testing for sulphate and nitrate

Points worth noting

• 1.16 crore households uncovered (66.45%)
• 24.52 lakh households covered in JE- AES districts (33.22%)
• 18 CWPP non-functional, 25 unable to treat fluoride, `2.13 crore wasteful
• 707 dropped schemes costing `1.62 crore on DPRs
• 10% agency profit added to costs, `7.25 crore undue benefit
• 87 out of 88 labs not testing for sulphate and nitrate