The Prime Minister
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has called for solving the rural drinking
water problem in a time bound manner. He was speaking after launching
a new initiative in rural drinking water, Swajaldhara, here today.
He said, the task of providing safe drinking water to all is a
difficult one. The Prime Minister said a lot of work has been
done on this, but a lot needs to be done. He emphasized the need
to educate the people to save water and prevent wastage. He also
stressed on the need to maintain the assets created through such
programmes. The Prime Minister said, our aim is that the schemes
should be implemented properly and the benefit should accrue to
the people. He said, the government has a proposal to link all
the rivers which can lead to a permanent solution to the problem.
He also sought the cooperation of all the political parties for
its success.
During the ceremony
the the Prime Minister spoke to the people at village Awalpur
in Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh, Malkup village in Ahmednagar
district of Maharashtra and Gohankalan village in the Lucknow
district of Uttarpradesh through videoconferce where the scheme
was launched. The UP Chief Minister Smt. Mayawati, Union Minister
Shri Blasahab Vikhe Patil and the Andhra Pradesh Rural Development
Minister Shri M Janardhan Reddy also spoke to the Prime Minister
through videoconference and complimented him on his birthday and
for the scheme.
The Swajaldhara scheme
envisages people’s participation in the programme in the form
of contribution to the extent of ten percent of the project cost
and ownership and maintenance of the project itself. However,
Panchayats/villages where SC and ST population is at least 50
percent, need to share only five percent of the cost. Under the
scheme the Ministry of Rural Development is increasing its share
of the funds for financing the water supply scheems to 90 percent.
Initially the project is being launched in eight states. They
are Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
Speaking on the occasion
the Rural Development Minister Shri Shanta Kumar said, the scheme
is an important step towards decentralization of the powers in
favour of the local bodies. He said, a total of 882 projects costing
Rs.87 Crore have been sanctioned covering the eight states. Under
the scheme the Gram Panchayats/villages/communities can plan,
implement, operate, maintain and manage the drinking water scheme.
The project proposals involve mini pipe water supply, bore well,
water harvesting and rejuvenation of water bodies. He assured
the Prime Minister that the target of providing safe drinking
water in all the habitations in the country by 2004 will be met
The Ministers of
State for Rural Development Shri Annasaheb M.K.Patil and Shri
Subhash Maharia, Secretary Rural Development Shri M.Shankar, Secretary
Department of Drinking Water Shri Meenakshisundaram were present
on the occasion.
