K.S. Eshwarappa, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, has given one month’s time to officials to commence 155 works with detailed project reports (DPR) under the Jala Jeevan Mission.
He chairing the development progress review meeting in Yadgir on Friday.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to provide tap water to every household under this dream project in the next four years. Officials have to take this task seriously to complete it in 100 days,” the Minister said.
Officials of the Rural Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Department said the district has planned to implement 155 works which have DPR. Tender for 119 works had been floated. Agreement for 56 works completed and 51 works have commenced. He further said tender for 18 works will be floated in a week.
L.K. Ateeq, Principal Secretary of RDPR, said schools and anganwadi centres should be provided water for drinking and toilet, in the next 100 days.
Officials said that water was being supplied to 190 anganwadis and schools out of 417 in Yadgir, 155 anganawadis and schools in 456 in Shahapur and 90 anganwadis and schools completed out of 540. When he observed the poor performances under Jala Jeevan Mission, Mr. Eshwarappa lost his temper and told officials: “Are you not ashamed of not implementing the project properly?”. He set March 26 as the deadline to complete the project. The Minister also asked Shilpa Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, to supervise the project and call an officers’ meeting to review the progress only under Jala Jeevan Mission.
‘Ensure water supply’
Mr. Eshwarappa instructed officers to complete ongoing drinking water projects within the date stipulated and ensure drinking water to the rural areas effectively. He told officials to float tenders for 213 projects under Jala Jeevan Mission scheme.
The Minister suggested to Ganapathi Sakre, executive engineer of the department, when he explained that under the mission, it was aimed to provide drinking water through taps to 83,480 houses in the district and 313 works for supply of drinking water had already been taken, DRP for 307 works was prepared. 297 works had got administrative and tender for the works was floated.
“Your work will not be complete until you ensure potable drinking water to people,” he said, and added that officials should submit fresh proposals if any as there is no dearth in funds for drinking water projects.
