Ranchi, April 8: Iterating his commitment to provide the people of Jharkhand safe drinking water, Chief Minister Raghubar Das today said the state government will provide safe drinking water to 50 percent population through pipeline network by 2020. He made the announcement while laying the foundation stone of Petarwar-Kasmar Gramin Jalapurti Yojana at Petarwar Plus Two high school.
The CM said that by March 2015, only 12% people were given water through pipeline which has increased to 30% by 2017. �Petarwar Gramin Jalapurti Yojana has been started with the cost of around Rs 59 crore and it will cover a population of 72,000. Sanitation and drinking water are focus area of all endeavours of the government.
After mapping all water sources viz. dam, river etc., a policy has been made to use minimum underground water and accordingly, a DPR has been made to implement that policy. Underground water will be used only in those areas where surface water is not available,� he said.
Das said that the districts, blocks and villages becoming ODF will be covered with piped drinking water on priority basis. Drinking Water and Sanitation has been included with top priority under DMFT and CSR apart from National Rural Drinking Water Program, Neer Nirmal Project, State Scheme and State Resources, he said.
The CM gave appreciation letters to the mukhiyas of ODF panchayats. He also distributed Health Insurance Scheme Card among the beneficiaries of Ashalata centres. He said that Bokaro was on top position in the entire state under this scheme.
�Areas with a high population of ST and SC people in Ranchi, Gumla, Lohardaga, Khunti, Giridih, Dumka, Godda, Palamu and Garhwa are already being covered with pipeline drinking water.
In the Arsenic and Fluoride affected areas, more than 1 lakh 10 thousand people have been provided Arsenic and Fluoride free drinking water in the last 2 years. The National Water Quality Submission has been started by Prime Minister under which, people can get the quality of water tested,� said the CM.
Das said that a state level lab to test water has been approved by N.B.L. and initiation has been taken to start four new labs.
Water Resource Minister Chandra Prakash Choudhary said that maximum portion of Bokaro has been covered with pipeline drinking water facilities.
Sports Minister Amar Kumar Bauri, MPs Ravindra Kumar Pandey, P. N. Singh, MLAs Yogeshwar Mahto, Biranchi Naranyan, Jaggarnath Mahto, Zila Parisad chairperson Sushma Devi, DC, SP and other dignitaries and officers were present on this occasion.