Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, April 19: The state government Tuesday decided to provide free drinking water to urban poor households and announced earmarking Rs300 crore for development of infrastructure for potable water.
A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here at a time when people are facing acute drinking water crisis. Patnaik directed the housing and urban development department officials to take immediate measures in this regard.
“The chief minister directed that about `300 crore given by 13th Finance Commission to all panchayats in the state, which is now with the district administration, will be earmarked for drinking water infrastructure development,” Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Mohapatra said.
Patnaik directed district collectors to utilize MGNREGS and Gopabandhu Gramin Yojana funds for creation of check dam and water harvest projects in their respective areas.
He said 30 per cent of the funds provided by the 14th Finance Commission and the Fourth state finance commission would be utilised for the development of infrastructure for drinking water.
The Chief Minister also approved the Rural Development Department’s decision to cancel leave of all rural water supply and sanitation employees, including engineers, till the end of summer.
The department supplies 872 million litres of water daily through 481 tankers and 941 tanks. Besides, water is being supplied though 32,969 tube wells and 25,194 stand posts in urban areas, officials informed. Patnaik ordered verification of all water supply hot spots under the rural water supply department within seven days and asked the chief engineer concerned to submit a verification certificate by April 30.
He also directed the departments concerned to dig one tubewell each in all 27,711 partially covered habitations in the state at a cost of `195 crore.
The SRC’s office will release `25 crore to augment water supply through pipes, tankers and additional vans to urban areas, Mohapatra said.
