Speed up pending water projects across Rajasthan, says CM Ashok Gehlot

JAIPUR: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday directed the PHED officials to speed up the pending water projects to find a permanent solution to water problem.
Gehlot directed the department to set up a special team to monitor and complete the project at the earliest.
He said delay in the project not only leads to cost escalation, but people are also denied the benefit of the scheme.
He also asked the district collectors to execute the water contingency plan for summer on a priority basis. He asked them to consult the MPs and MLAs from the district within three days and frame a plan according to the local conditions. The chief minister was reviewing the drinking water situation in the state.
He said the collectors and the PHED had to ensure that there is no shortage of drinking water in any areas of the state. The chief minister said RO, hand pump and tube well maintenance, pipeline maintenance and extension and supply of water by tankers be expedited. He said wherever water need to be transported and new tube wells and hand pumps required be sanctioned immediately.
The chief minister directed the department to activate the control room and complaints be attended to without delay. The district collector must review the water situation every week ensuring that villages are receiving sufficient water.
PHED minister B D Kalla said the department had made the contingency plan in February and Rs 65 crore was sanctioned for it. He said out of 1, 21,530 villages of which 92% of them were supplied water through some drinking water schemes.
Principal secretary Rajesh Yadav informed that due to good rain last year the drinking water supply in most of the districts is normal.
He said Rs 24 crore has been sanctioned for supplying water by transportation in 134 urban areas and Rs 41 crore in rural areas. He said 22,000 hand pumps were repaired so far.