New Delhi, June 9: The Chief Minister of Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang participated in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Exchange Ceremony under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 between the Government of Sikkim and the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, held in the esteemed presence of Union Minister for Jal Shakti, C.R. Patil.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister described it as a great privilege and honour to be part of the programme. He expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Jal Shakti for the successful implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, which has significantly improved access to safe drinking water in rural areas.
He stated that the Government of India’s support has been crucial in overcoming the challenges of developing water supply infrastructure in Sikkim’s mountainous terrain. Reaffirming the State’s commitment to JJM 2.0, he noted that its focus on sustainability, source protection, water quality, and long-term maintenance is especially important for a fragile Himalayan State like Sikkim.
The Chief Minister also urged the Ministry to consider extending central assistance to retrofitting and capacity augmentation projects that were approved or initiated prior to the notification of JJM 2.0 guidelines. He emphasized that Sikkim had undertaken these projects in accordance with the earlier norms and invested substantial resources with the expectation of receiving central support.
Present on the occasion were the Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti (Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation), the Mission Director, National Jal Jeevan Mission, senior officials of the Ministry, the Secretary, Rural Development Department, Government of Sikkim, and officers from both the Ministry and the Government of Sikkim.
