VENKAIAH NAIDU ASKS SECTOR REFORM PROJECTS IN DRINKING WATER TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE IN THREE MONTHS

---

The Rural Development Minister Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has asked the districts implementing sector reform programme on drinking water to show visible improvement in performance in three months otherwise the schemes will be withdrawn from the districts. Addressing a one day national conference sector reforms on drinking water here today, the Minister urged the non performing districts to form district level and village level committees, open bank accounts and show progress of work. Shri Naidu said sufficient time has been provided to the districts and it is time that we identify those projects which are not performing and where authorities are not convinced and interested in carrying out the reforms.

Reforms in the rural drinking water sector were introduced in 1999. Sixty seven projects for implementation of the reforms with a view to institutionalize community participation in rural water supply activities with total outlay of Rs.2060.45 crore have been sanctioned of which the central Government’s share is Rs.1922.85 crore. The Minster said that while the Government of India has released Rs.572.08 crore to these projects, a meager Rs.101.58 crore has been spent. He said out of the Rs.101 crore, 15 districts have spent about Rs.60 crore. The remaining 49 districts together have utilized Rs.40 crore only.

Shri Venkaiah Naidu pointed out that community contribution to those projects have been Rs.24.73 crore. He said, going by the 90:10 ratio at least Rs.247 crore worth of works should have been completed in the project districts, which has not happened. He said this indicates that the implementing agencies have been found wanting in matching the interest shown by the community.

The Minister expressed the hope that the Conference will help identify bottlenecks and the practical difficulties in the implementation of the projects. He assured the delegates that the center will address any reasonable practical difficulty in successful implementation of the projects.

Welcoming the delegates, Secretary, Drinking Water Shri A.K. Goswami regretted the tardy progress of implementation of the sector reform projects. He said, Drinking Water Sector is facing two other major challenges of quality and sustainability. He said, to ensure sustainability of the water systems, it is essential that the community users should have a greater role in management of water supply systems. He said, serious efforts have been made to check water quality problems.

About 200 delegates from different states are attending the one say conference. Ministers of State Shri Subhash Maharia and Shri Annasaheb M.K. Patil, Secretary Rural Development Shri Arun Bhatnagar and other senior officials of the Ministry were present on the occasion.