Chennai, Oct 12 (IANS): Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs, Bhisweswar Tudu, has charged that he has received complaints that many officers in Tamil Nadu are taking bribes for providing water connections under the Jal Jeevan mission. He asked the state government to look into the matter and ensure that connections under the Jal Jeevan mission are provided free of cost.

He was speaking to media persons at Salem on Wednesday after inspecting the projects of the Jal Shakti mission.

He said that the maximum funds were alloted to the states and that the delay in the submission of reports by some departments has led to the delay in the release of funds by the central government.

The minister alleged that the Tamil Nadu government was implementing most of the central schemes in the districts as state government schemes. He charged that except at two places, there is no photograph of the Prime Minister at the central scheme locations but that of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, late M. Karunanidhi, and that of the present Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin.

He said that the details of schemes presented in Salem district were good but in practice it was not properly done and he was not satisfied.

Tudu claimed that the central government has released Rs 6281.24 crore between 2019-22 to Tamil Nadu.