In order to check water wastage in the State, the government has decided to introduce metered water supply in seven cities. The user charges will be determined by the quantum of water used by the consumers. The seven cities are Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Varanasi, Allahabad, Meerut and Mathura.
The proposal was approved at a Cabinet meeting presided over by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati on Wednesday. The new water supply system would be implemented under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and no additional financial burden would accrue on the State Treasury.
According to an official spokesman, metered water supply has been made mandatory in the infrastructure development schemes approved under the Urban Renewal Mission. The cost of meter has been included in the financial allocation by the Centre for the implementation of JNNURM in the State. In addition, the fixation of volumetric telescopic block tariff of the water used has also been mandatory.
The Cabinet also gave its assent for the constitution of Secondary Education Campaign Board under the Chief Minister.Patterned on the lines of the ‘Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan’ of the Central Government, the Board would ensure qualitative improvement in primary education. An additional post of Executive Director of the State Secondary Education Campaign Board would be created for the proper implementation of the programme. The Secondary Education Minister and the Chief Secretary will be the vice-chairmen of the board.
Once the education board is constituted, additional funds would be made available for improving the quality of education in the secondary schools. There are 15,413 secondary schools in the State with 6470 institutions of the High School level and the remaining 8443 upto class 12 or Intermediate level.
