The government is yet to complete the hundreds of water supply schemes started previous government under centrally-sponsored scheme, National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), depriving large population of the state from drinking water.At least 2511 water supply schemes were sanctioned by the UPA government for the state since 2002 and are yet to be completed. The officials said that 1566 schemes were allotted for Jammu division, 934 for Kashmir division, aimed to provide adequate safe water for drinking and other domestic consumption.Of these schemes, the state government has till now completed only 232 schemes. Citing cutting of funds for completion of the schemes, the officials in Public Health and Engineering told KNS that earlier the central government would send Rs 537 crore every financial year for completion of these schemes.The officials said that the centre sent only 227 crore with a rider to complete the earlier schemes, and no new scheme was allotted to the state.Giving breakup of the schemes, the officials told KNS that 294 schemes were sanctioned for Jammu district, the highest number, 168 for Rajouri, Poonch 89, Kishtwar 99, Kathua and Samba 72 each; for Leh and Kargil 149 schemes were allotted.
In Kashmir, Baramulla was allotted 173, the highest number of water supply schemes, Kupwara 109, Bandipora 89, Anantnag 156, Shopian 90, Kulgam 101, Srinagar 98, Budgam 111 and Ganderbal 73.“Due to paucity of funds, these schemes are incomplete,” the officials told KNS.Minister for PHE and IFC, Sham Lal Choudhary told KNS that 232 schemes have beeen completed after the centre “released one-time” funds for them.Choudhary said that 112 schemes were completed in Jammu, 88 in Kashmir and 32 in Ladakh at a cost of Rs 227 crore.“The work on the schemes is near completion. No new scheme will be taken up until the previous schemes are completed as per the Centre Government’s direction,” the minister told KNS.“The Centre asked us to complete the schemes which cost less funding. Our target is to complete these schemes this year,” he said.Asked that how will those people living in remote and hilly areas access water, the minister said that the government will build hand-pumps in remote areas “which have small population and have no water sources for consumption”.He said that the pipeline and machinery which was damaged during floods in 2014 and other factors are being repaired by Economic and Reconstruction Agency. (KNS)