BHOPAL: The state government is all set to enact Right-to-Water Act (RTWA). This bill will be presented in the upcoming budget session of the Legislative Assembly. Once the bill is enacted, Madhya Pradesh will become the first state in the country, where people will get the legal right to water.
A provision of Rs 1,000 crores has been made in the budget for the implementation of the RTWA.
The state government has decided to launch “Har Ghar Nal se Jal” scheme aimed at decreasing the dependence of the rural populace on ground water sources. In view of the continuous decline in ground water level, the state government has given priority to group water supply schemes based on surface water sources.
A contract has been signed with IIT Delhi for better planning of drinking water supply schemes.
As per the promises made in the manifesto, the process of regulating supply of pure drinking water in rural and tribal areas and strengthening their permanent system of maintenance has been started
First rank in water quality: Madhya Pradesh has got the first rank on the 14 criterion set for water quality testing in laboratories by the Ministry of Water Power, Government of India. Accounts are being opened in the National Pension Scheme (N.P.S.) to secure the future of more than 500 contract employees and their families working under the Jal Sahayata Sangathan in the state since 2013.
Priority on small & remote villages: Priority has been given to small and remote villages in the new drinking water policy. New hand pumps will be installed in the habitats where drinking water is not available at the rate of 55 litres per person per day during the summer season. The new drinking water policy has a provision for at least one government drinking water source within a radius of 300 metres.
Plan worth Rs. 68,000 crore: A detailed plan worth Rs. 68,000 crore has been chalked out to supply water from tap to every house in rural areas. In the last one year, intensive efforts have been taken to ensure adequate drinking water arrangements in rural areas. More than 6,000 hand pumps have been installed in rural areas and more than 6700 single-phase motor pumps have been installed. As many as 3.12 lakh hand pumps lying closed in rural areas were repaired. In addition, 65,000 hand pumps were repaired.
