Daily Briefing: JD Vance’s India visit; budgeting woes for Jal Jeevan Mission

On that note, let’s get to today’s edition.

Big Story

How much does a tap connection cost? Try Rs 1,37,500! The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), the government’s flagship scheme to provide tap connections to rural households, has encountered budgeting difficulties. The Jal Shakti Ministry had requested a staggering Rs 2.79 lakh crore from the Centre to complete the remaining 25% of its target by December 2028. However, in a setback for the mission, an expenditure panel, which appraises projects, has approved only half of the funds proposed by the ministry. The inflated costs have also raised concern in the Finance Ministry, which has asked the mission to justify the sharp increase in the cost of tap installation from the earlier Rs 30,000.

For context, the project was originally intended to be completed between 2019 and 2024. The mission has now requested additional funds to cover the four-year extension. The Centre and states fund the JJM on a 50:50 basis. A reduction in the Centre’s share means that states could be left with a significantly larger bill.

Only in Express

From the contentious issue of the Waqf Bill to the trust deficit among Muslims and championing individual rights, Baijayant Panda, BJP national vice-president, speaks about all that ails the Indian polity in the latest edition of the Idea Exchange. Read here.

From the Front Page

Gridlocked: India’s border with Pakistan is poised for a significant tech upgrade. From all-weather human-detection radars to seismic sensors that can detect tunnels, the Ministry of Home Affairs has planned an extensive overhaul of the surveillance system in the face of rising Army encounters with foreign terrorists in Jammu.

Paper trail: A recent internal audit by the Education Ministry has uncovered financial irregularities amounting to approximately Rs 5 crore at the Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR). The investigation revealed unauthorised renovations at the ICHR office and inflated expenses for book publications and exhibitions. In response, the government has flagged 10 officials for disciplinary action.

Must Read

Chow down: The longest and strongest El Niño on record—raging from April 2023 to May 2024—has finally loosened its grip. This oceanic phenomenon, which warms the Pacific’s surface waters, threw India’s agriculture into turmoil, bringing weak monsoons and a late winter. Crops suffered, and food prices soared. However, the tide has now turned, which may bring relief at the grocery store.

‘i’ for India: India has successfully pitched itself as a hub for global smartphone production. But it largely depends on countries like China to source internal components. That may be about to change! Under its ambitious Rs 22,919 crore incentive scheme for electronics components, the government aims to spur local value addition in the sector. That’s not all. The government hopes this would reduce India’s import dependence and create good-quality jobs.

And Finally…

How do you stay one step ahead of pickpockets and shady punters in a sea of thousands at a packed IPL match? Take notes from the Greater Chennai Police manning the MA Chidambaram Stadium (aka Chepauk). These folks aren’t just watching the game — they’re watching everything. So far, they have busted three thief gangs and recovered 84 stolen phones, all with little help from Chennai Singam, an AI-powered beast of a surveillance system that doesn’t miss a thing. It spots faces, tracks sketchy moves, clocks what you’re wearing, and even reads the banners in the crowd.

🎧 Before you go, don’t miss today’s episode of the ‘3 Things’ podcast. In the lineup: all about the Mehul Choksi case, US visa revocations of Indian students and the Nishikant Dubey row.

That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow,
Sonal Gupta

Business As Usual by EP Unny