Mumbai, Apr 21 (PTI) The Congress in Maharashtra on Monday said despite government spending thousands of crore of rupees, the state remains parched due to "massive corruption" in the Jal Jeevan Mission, a central plan aimed at providing drinking water through taps to households in rural India.

The Union Finance Ministry has sought an explanation as to how the cost of a single tap has increased from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1.37 lakh, state Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal claimed while addressing a press conference here.

He alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s push for Hindi was part of a larger conspiracy and asked the saffron outfit to implement the three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP) first in Gujarat, where they are in power.

Sapkal pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had grandly announced the Jal Jeevan Mission, promising clean drinking water through taps to every household in the country by 2024, but the scheme has only benefited government officials and private contractors.

"However, four months into 2025, Maharashtra is still parched. Women continue to struggle and walk miles for a pot of water. Corruption in this scheme is claiming lives, particularly of women," Sapkal said in a scathing attack on the BJP-led Mahayuti government.

The MPCC chief criticized both Maharashtra and central governments over the water crisis and maintained they only make grand announcements, but implementation of schemes remains non-existent.

Prime Minister Modi constantly repeated slogans like "Har Ghar Nal" and "Har Nal Jal" (water in every house via taps), but there was nothing on the ground, he argued.

The Centre and the state launched the Jal Jeevan Mission, but the Union Finance Ministry itself has acknowledged corruption in the scheme and sought an explanation for steep cost escalation in water taps from Rs 30,000 to Rs1.37 lakh, he claimed.

"The scheme has only benefited officials and contractors, while women still struggle for water. In Yavatmal district, a young girl died while fetching water. In Nashik district, women risk their lives by entering into wells for a pot of water," Sapkal maintained.

This clearly shows the Jal Jeevan Mission has become a victim of corruption. Now, the central government has slashed 47 per cent of the scheme's funding, which means further delays in work. Water crisis for women will persist for years due to a lack of funding, the Congress leader averred.

The state government has given its nod to implement the three-language formula under the NEP. Accordingly, it has made Hindi a must for students of Classes 1 to 5 in English and Marathi-medium schools.

Criticising the Mahayuti government over the decision, Sapkal alleged imposition of Hindi from Class 1 was part of a larger conspiracy.

"Hindi is being forced upon people to eliminate the Marathi language and culture. This is an attack on the Marathi language .The government is implementing what was written in RSS leader M S Golwalkar's book 'Bunch of Thoughts'. Hindi imposition should first begin in Gujarat," he asserted.

He demanded a roll back of the decision to make Hindi compulsory for students of Classes 1 to 5 in English and Marathi-medium schools in the state.

"Forcing three languages on students from Grade 1 is unscientific. Can children even handle that burden? The government has not considered this. The Language Advisory Committee has opposed the decision. Chief Minister (Devendra) Fadnavis has backtracked on this matter. He seems to have a penchant for imposition, but we continue to demand that this decision be rolled back," he said.

In response to a question, Sapkal said former Congress MLA Sangram Thopte's decision to quit the party and possibly join the BJP was suicidal.

Thopte resigned from the Congress last week amid speculation that he will join the ruling BJP.

Sapkal claimed the Congress wanted to field Thopte for the assembly Speaker’s post after incumbent Nana Patole resigned (in early 2021) when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was in power, but BJP veteran Fadnavis (then-opposition leader) prevented the election, denying him the opportunity to hold the position.

"Now, Thopte is joining those who betrayed him," the MPCC president maintained. PTI MR RSY