State asks Centre to allot special fund for drinking water supply in tribal areas under special scheme
Welcoming
the Centre’s decision to set up a Fluoride Mitigation Centre in
Gujarat, the State Government urged for financial assistance from the
Central Government to meet increased demand for drinking water supply in
the tribal areas under the group water supply scheme.
Gujarat
Water Supply Minister Shri Nitinbhai Patel expressed gratitude to Union
Minister Shri Jairam Ramesh who announced Gujarat will soon get a
Fluoride Mitigation Centre, at the Conference of State Ministers and
Secretaries of drinking water and sanitation held here.
Addressing
the conference, Shri Patel demanded that Government of India should
also give special fund to State for supplying clear drinking water to
the population residing nearby urban areas (outgrowth area).
Shri
Patel said the Government of Gujarat provides drinking water through
hand pumps in tribal areas but with increasing demand the supply is
required to be made through group water supply scheme. The Minister
added that the State Government has already announced a sanction of Rs.
960 crore for this proposed scheme and urged the Union Minister that
Government of India should also provide 50 percent financial assistance
for this project.
Chief
Minister Shri Narendra Modi has accorded priority to improving water
supply services in the state. The State Government made a budget
provision of Rs. 672 crore for water supply in year 2003-04 which has
been substantially increased to Rs. 2,500 crore in the year 2012-13.
Shri Patel said the Government always ensures that fund requirement will
be made available at all times for water development work.
Referring
to PPP scheme in water supply sector, Shri Patel said that under the
scheme, 17,790 (98 percent) Pani Samitis are functional in Gujarat and
8,696 village scheme works to achieve drinking water security.
He
further stated that the State Government is fully committed to provide
adequate, regular and safe drinking water to the people through
household tap water connectivity. Gujarat has taken a
number of short term as well as long term measures through ambitious
drought proof plan to address drinking water scarcity. Success has been
achieved through organisational structural changes made in drinking
water sector. A paradigm shift was made from ground water to surface
water, he added.
In
last 10 years, 2240 km long pipelines have been laid down with diameter
of more than two meters. Since a decade, 156 filtration plants were
installed with 2810 million litres daily capacity. At present, 2,800
million litres water is being supplied in the state households daily
through this grid.
Shri
Nitinbhai Patel also appraised the work carried out by State Government
in water harvesting sector with help of Gram Panchayats and NGOs. For
excellence in water development related works, Gujarat bagged Prime
Minister's award in 2008, UN award in 2009 and CAPAM award in 2010.
Shri
Patel reiterated the State Government's main aim is to provide
adequate, regular and safe water at door step. Today in Gujarat, 73.86
percent of rural population (based on 2001 census) has access to
household tap water supply services. Demand for household tap water is
increasing which indicates that people are more interested in community
managed programme.
Shri H.K. Dash, Principal Secretary (Water Supply) also participated in the conference.
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