Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday released the Delhi Jal Board’s (DJB) Annual Report of Achievements for the year 2015-16 even as he claimed that he had started delivering on his promises related to water made to the citizens of the Capital.
Water Minister Kapil Mishra and DJB CEO Keshav Chandra presented the report to the Chief Minister, which contains 212 achievements in nine sectors including policy-level decisions, water sector, Yamuna cleaning, e-governance, revenue, administration, reform projects, renewable energy and anti-corruption measures.
“Swiftly implementing its poll promises the Delhi Government implemented the provision of free water up to 20 kiloliters per family per month. This policy has benefited all stakeholders: citizens reaped rewards of zero billing, the cross subsidy bolstered revenue and incentivized lower usage,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
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“The Government implemented its poll promises on day one itself, something unheard of in modern Indian politics. The policy of removing mixed water tariff benefited lakhs of traders and small businesspersons who had non-intensive use of water but had to pay commercial water rates, and are now rid of this excessive burden,” the Chief Minister added.
On his part, Mr. Mishra said that proper demand-side planning, supply side management, organisational water distribution audit and proper water accounting tied to people-oriented planning was the theme of Delhi Jal Board’s working in its first ‘Aam Aadmi year’, leading to several victories for the people in the sector.
A transparent tanker water distribution system was implemented using GPS/GPRS with schedules of operation available online and this eliminated unscrupulous elements who supplied water through private tankers charging exorbitant rate. Concurrently, the Delhi Jal Board made transformative improvements in water pipeline and supply, reaching constituencies like Dwarka, Sangam Vihar and Tughlakabad, thus truly moving towards the goal of providing water as a right, Mr. Mishra added.
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A transparent tanker water distribution system was implemented using GPS/GPRS