CM Revanth allots Rs 1 crore special funds to each Assembly for drinking water

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said that the village sarpanches are responsible for the management of drinking water supply in the villages and for ensuring every household gets drinking water regularly. The CM asked the officials to finalise the necessary procedures to give powers to the sarpanches.

The CM ordered the officials to prepare a plan of action to address the drinking water shortage in the ensuing summer in the state. The chief minister asked the officials to utilise water from the newly constructed reservoirs apart from the rivers Krishna and Godavari for drinking water needs.

The CM said that it will be easier to supply drinking water to the villages from the newly constructed Mallannasagar, Kondapochammasagar and Ranganayak Sagar reservoirs at a low cost.

CM discusses Mission Bhagiratha

The Mission Bhagiratha wing has been asked to take the responsibility of supplying safe drinking water to the villages. The CM said that the maintenance of drinking water supply through taps and pipelines should be entrusted to the village sarpanches.

The chief minister said that no one is paying attention to the intra-village works and house-to-house tap water supply carried out under Mission Bhagiratha scheme. Officials informed the CM that the issue of drinking water management in the villages is not under anyone’s control. The CM cautioned the drinking water crisis will aggravate if there is no accountability.

'Previous government plan unsuccessful'

The CM said that the previous government’s claim of the supply of safe drinking water to every household did not help the state practically. Due to this, the CM said that the state could not get the funds under the Jal Jeevan Mission from the Union government.

The CM warned the officials to stop projecting the state as rich by suppressing the facts. People are still facing drinking water problems in many parts of the state such as tandas, gudems and agency areas. The CM recalled how people from Khanapur village raised the issue of drinking water shortage during the election time.

List of villages without drinking water

CM Revanth ordered the officials to conduct a comprehensive survey and find the villages and habitations which have been facing a drinking water crisis. As the tenure of the sarpanches will be complete at the end of this month, the CM asked the authorities to take responsibility for the drinking water supply in the villages.

The engineers concerned are advised to visit all the villages and prepare a list of habitations without a proper drinking water supply facility. The new proposals will be made and sent to the Centre to seek funds under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

Divert all attention onto providing drinking water

The CM instructed the officials to take all measures to tide over the drinking water crisis in the summer. The CM directed the officials to spend Rs 1 crore out of Rs 10 crores Special Development Fund for each Assembly segment exclusively for drinking water needs. The CM made it clear that water available in all projects and reservoirs in the state should be utilised for drinking water needs on a priority.

Special focus on women SHGs

The government will also pay special focus on strengthening the Self Help Groups by providing financial support. The CM suggested the women groups be given the work of stitching the uniforms for the students of government schools, gurukuls, hostels and the police. The women groups will be provided training, if necessary.

Pick up pace on connecting roads

CM Revanth directed the development of a road network in the villages and connected all the habitations. Officials informed the CM that 422 gram panchayats and 3,177 habitations still do not have road connectivity.

The CM ordered the laying of black top roads in the villages. The employment guarantee scheme funds will be linked, if necessary, for the road development works.

The chief minister asked the officials to prepare proposals for the requirement of funds in the new budget outlay. State Panchayati Raj and Rural Development minister Seethakka, Roads and Buildings minister Komatireddy Venkata Reddy, Government chief secretary Santhi Kumari and other top officials participated in the review.