The Minister for Local Government, Medical Education Science & Research Punjab Mr. Anil Joshi released the Booklet on ‘Punjab Water Supply & Sewerage Board at the path of the progress’.After releasing the Booklet, Mr. Joshi said that during the period from 2007 to 2012 and 2012 to October 2016, Rs. 1510.00 crores and Rs.2234.00 crores respectively were spent on the works pertaining to Water Supply & Sewerage. He further said that Urban Mission Project works amounting to more than Rs.6000 crore are in progress for the development of cities of Punjab with a provision for facilities such as Sewerage, Roads and Street lights. All the developmental works in the cities are being completed and 100% Water Supply and Sewerage would be provided to all cities.
He further said that Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board was restructured in November 2013 and the works of Operation and Maintenance of Water Supply and Sewerage schemes of Municipal Councils were transferred to the Punjab Water Supply & Sewerage Board. Divulging more, the Minister said that the Cluster Projects have been awarded in the towns of Amritsar, Bathinda, Abohar, Faridkot, Kotkapura, Jaito, Sangrur, Dhuri, Sirhind and Bassi Pathana with the objective to provide quality infrastructure by getting the works from Big Companies in a composite form which includes works of Water Supply, Sewerage, Roads and Street lights. The Maintenance of these works for a period of 10 years is also included in cluster projects.
During the year 2007 to October 2016, 56 Sewerage Treatment Plants have been commissioned for cleaning of dirty sewage water. During this period 5391 Km. sewer lines, 4205 water supply pipes, 94 OHSR, 1120 Tubewells and 7 Water Treatment Plants have also been constructed. It is important to note that the scheme for the cleanliness of all the cities under the "Swachh Bharat Mission” has been started by the Department of Local Government under the directions of the Chief Minister S. Parkash Singh Badal. In big cities the work relating to cleanliness of roads is being done with the help of modern Machines and the work pertaining to cleanliness of Sewerage is being done by using Super Sucker Machines.
Mr. Joshi further said that in the history of independent India it is for the first time after 70 years that the works amounting to more than Rs. 6000 crores have been done leading to the gap in the development between cities and villages being removed. On the occasion, Mr. Joshi congratulated all the Officers/ Officials of the Punjab Water Supply & Sewerage Board and Department of Local Govt. who have accomplished the schemes of welfare and development being run by the Govt. with their hard work.On this occasion, Mr. D.P. Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary, Local Government Punjab, Mr. Iqbal Singh Channi, Vice Chairman, Punjab W/S & Sewerage Board, Mr. D.K. Tiwari, Chief Executive Officer, Punjab Water Supply & Sewerage Board and Mr. Parveen Kumar Thind, Director Local Govt. Punjab and other Officers of the Department, were present.