Haryana Government on Friday decided to hand over the operation and maintenance of villages having up to six tubewell schemes for the supply of drinking water to Gram Panchayats.
Public Health Engineering Minister, Ghanshyam Saraf, said powers and responsibilities to this effect had been assigned to the Gram Panchayats in accordance with the 73rd amendment to the Panchayati Raj Act.
This decision has been taken in view of the long-pending demand of the panchayats for handing over the tubewells to them. The Public Health Engineering Department, which is already paying the energy charges, would also foot the bill for the wages paid to the tubewell operators, among other expenses, to the Panchayats.
Reiterating Government’s commitment towards providing pure drinking water to each person in the State, the Minister said efforts were being made to fulfill the drinking water requirements of the people by installing tubewells in such areas as they could not access canal water.