Deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan on Thursday asked the officials to give him on the utilization of Jal Jeevan Mission funds. He said that the Central government had released funds to the state under the Jal Jeevan Mission in the last five years. The state government was expected to give matching grants and utilize the funds, he said.

Pawan Kalyan held a review meeting with the officials of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development at his camp office in Vijayawada on the day. He said that Jal Jeevan Mission funds are to be utilized properly to provide safe drinking water to every family. He wanted the officials to prepare a list of villages where safe drinking water is still not available. He wanted the officials to ensure that every village has safe drinking water and every family has water tap connection.

The deputy chief minister also cautioned the officials about the spread of diarrhea in the state. He said the diarrhea cases were reported in Vijayawada and some other places in the state. He wanted the officials to ensure that overhead water tanks are cleaned and vaccinated on regular intervals. He also wanted them to supply quality drinking water to the people.

Pawan Kalyan told them to identify the families that have no drinking water connection. They should be given drinking water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission in the next two years, he said. He wanted the officials to prepare a list of the villages that have no overhead tanks or no safe drinking water. These villages should have protected drinking water in the next two years, the Minister said.

He said he would speak to the Central Ministers about Jal Jeevan Mission funds to be released to the state. The programme would be implemented on a large scale in the state and ensure that every family has drinking water connection.

The officials of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, the officials of the rural water supply, urban water supply were present at the meeting.