The Salem Corporation is to implement a new water scheme to supply drinking water for the residents 24x7 at a cost of ₹ 693.49 crore, including funds from the Union and State governments. The scheme will be implemented under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
As per the 2011 census, the Corporation population was 8.29 lakh and in 2022 it increased to 9.81 lakh. For supplying drinking water to the residents, the Corporation receives water from the Nangavalli-Salem integrated water scheme, which has been in force since 1952, and from the Salem-Mettur dedicated water supply scheme since 2014. Through these two schemes, the Corporation gets 150.5 MLD of water per day from Mettur.
But still, in many wards, people receive water once in ten days or in a week. Considering the increase in urban population, on December 11, 2021, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced that uninterrupted water would be supplied to Salem residents through a scheme. Following the Chief Minister’s announcement, the Corporation appointed a Secundrabad-based firm as a technical adviser to prepare a detailed project report. The firm prepared a DPR for the scheme to be implemented at a cost of ₹ 693.49 crore, and it was sent to get approval from the Project Director of Tamil Nadu Urban Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TUFIDCO).
After TUFIDCO went through the DPR, it was forwarded to the State High-Powered Steering Committee (SHPSC) of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0. In the meeting of SHPSC held on June 27, 2022, it gave its nod to implement this scheme under the PPP model. The funding pattern for this project is a Union government fund of ₹ 208.05 crore (32%), a State Government fund of ₹ 69.35 crore (10%), and the Corporation or external aid of ₹ 416.09 crore (60%).
The Corporation officials said that to implement the new water scheme under the PPP model, the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Development Board (TNIDB) has yet to give its nod. For preparing and submitting adequate documents about the implementation of this project to TNIDB, a private firm is to be appointed, which is recognised by TNIDB.
For appointing a private firm and to get funds from the Union and State governments resolutions were passed in the Council meeting held recently in Corporation. “Once this project is implemented, the Corporation will be able to obtain 200 MLD of water per day and will be able to provide residents with uninterrupted drinking water,” officials added.
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