In a bid to ensure potable piped water supply in all rural households in the state, Punjab Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua on Wednesday directed Water Supply and Sanitation Department to cover all the remaining 2230 households in quality affected villages on priority within this financial year.
Chairing the 3rd meeting of Apex Committee of State Water and Sanitation Mission (SWSM) at his office, Punjab Civil Secretariat-1, here, the Chief Secretary reviewed the progress of ongoing projects of Water Supply and Sanitation.
He directed the concerned officials to ensure 100 per cent coverage of the rural households with Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) at the earliest as Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann led Punjab government is committed to provide potable water to each rural household of the state.
He also directed Rural Development and Water Supply and Sanitation department officials to submit a road map within a week for achievement of targets under Swachh Bharat Gramin.The Chief Secretary was apprised that the state has already covered 99.94 per cent (34.24 lacs out of 34.26 lacs) households with piped water supply.
All the remaining 2230 households in quality affected villages will be provided with potable water supply in 2022-23. The department has already ensured 100 per cent saturation of households in terms of piped water supply through FHTCs in 11931 villages, 146 blocks and 20 districts of the state besides ensuring 'Har Ghar Jal' certification through special Gram Sabha in 11867 saturated villages, 133 blocks and in 16 districts.
Discussing the Annual Action Plan 2022-23, the Chief Secretary asked the officials to ensure coverage of remaining households (including aspirational districts Ferozepur and Moga) with piped water supply to ensure Har Ghar Jal status in state, remaining 824 Water Quality affected villages with mitigation measures to ensure availability of potable piped water supply and remaining GP buildings and health centres with piped water supply should be ensured under this plan.
He also directed to ensure regular testing of water samples through water testing labs and FTK. It was stated that out of reported coverage of households in State, 12.18 lac rural households are having Private sources.
The Chief Secretary directed that all these private sources should be tested for chemical and other contaminants. In case of any quality issue, Water Supply and Sanitation department must ensure supply of potable piped water to these households from piped water supply schemes so that quality water is available to every household in the State.
Financial Commissioner Rural Development and Panchayats Mr. K Siva Prasad, Principal Secretary Planning Mr. Vikas Pratap, Principal Secretary Water Supply and Sanitation Mr. DK Tiwari, Secretary Finance Ms. Garima Singh, HoD of DWSS Mr. Vipul Ujwal, Director Information and Public Relations Ms. Sonali Giri, Special Secretary Education Mr Varinder Kumar Sharma and other senior officials were also present in the meeting.