In order to provide reliable facilities for testing and ensuring quality of drinking water at affordable price, Punjab Government has fixed Rs 630 as water testing charges for getting tested 18 parameters pertaining to water quality at the government-run laboratories in the state.A decision to this effect was taken at the second meeting of the Steering Committee of State Water and Sanitation Mission (SCSWSM), chaired by the Chief Secretary, Ms Vini Mahajan, here.The initiative would help provide accurate and trustworthy facilities for testing and monitoring the quality of drinking water to the citizens at reasonable charges, said Ms Mahajan; while asking the departments concerned to ensure 100 per cent coverage of tap water supply and toilet facilities at anganwari centres in the state by the end of this year.The Steering Committee has given nod for establishing the 'water quality kosh' for sustaining water quality monitoring and mitigation measures. It also approved signing of MoU with Reviving Green Revolution cell (endorsed by Tata Trusts) for carrying out social and IEC activities in 600 villages of aspirational districts of Moga and Ferozepur to assist PRIs and build their capacity in management of water supply schemes.
The committee also approved the delegation of powers and provision of support funds for operationalisation of District Water and Sanitation Missions (DWSMs) under respective Deputy Commissioner(s) in order to empower the district administrations for speedy completion of works at their level in a decentralized manner for coverage of remaining piped water connections at a pace. Besides this, opening of escrowed single nodal account (SNA) for the flagship programmes, JJM and SBM was approved for speedy transfer of Central funds to the implementing agencies. The committee was also informed about the guidelines issued by Department of Water supply and Sanitation in respect of building of community sanitary complexes, household latrines, role of swachhagrahis as well as annual action plan of SBM, which were also noted and approved by the steering committee.ACS-cum-Financial Commissioner Rural Development and Panchayats Seema Jain, KAP Sinha (Finance), Alok Shekhar (Health and Family Welfare), Jaspreet Talwar (Water Supply and Sanitation), and Secretary School Education Krishan Kumar attended the meeting.
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3,000 OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS TO FIGHT COVID
In the Steering Committee meeting, the Chief Secretary was apprised that 3000 Oxygen Concentrators procured through World Bank facilitated purchase method to further ramp up health infrastructure in the state have been handed over to PHSC which have been further allocated to Medical facilities in the State by PHSC. Ms Vini Mahajan directed the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare to verify the operational functioning of these oxygen concentrators and make arrangements for post sale maintenance.