The State government has reviewed the shortage of drinking water across the State, especially in regions hit by drought, and has decided to set up drinking water supply units in all villages with a population of more than 2,000 and provide water to children in all the 30,000 anganwadis.
Speaking to presspersons here on Tuesday, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H.K. Patil said that the details would be worked out and a programme announced in a fortnight.
He said that local institutions, including NGOs, would be involved in setting up clean drinking water units in the villages. The State government, he said, will submit a proposal to the Union government seeking aid from the latter’s Rs. 1,400 crore fund for this. There are about 5,000 villages that are facing water shortage in the State.
Mr. Patil, who won from the Gadag constituency where he arranged for supply of clean drinking water to villagers in the recent months attracting wide attention, said that the Union government had taken up this work on the directions of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
The Minister said that he had instructed officials at all levels to be transparent and responsive to the needs of the people.
He said that delay in clearing files was not right. He said that the file movement service initiated during the tenure of S.M. Krishna would be revived. All the files including those pertaining to development programmes should be cleared within 10 days.
The Minister said that he was not happy with the 3.52 lakh ongoing works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
