Scheduled Caste beneficiaries of Indira Gandhi Drinking Water Scheme in the rural areas of Haryana will now get free water from May 1, 2014. Besides, the State Government has also written off their pending arrears amounting to Rs61.42 crore up to April 30, 2014 under the scheme.
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that the decision would benefit more than 8.48 lakh SC beneficiaries. No monthly charges will be levied on SC beneficiaries in the rural areas from May 1.
Giving out details, an official spokesman of Haryana Government said that the state government had launched the Indira Gandhi Drinking Water Scheme in 2006 to extend the facility of private water connections in the rural areas at par with the urban areas. It was launched with the objective of covering 100 per cent SC households to improve their quality of life.
He said that over 8.48 lakh rural households had been provided water connections under the scheme up to April 30. The entire expenditure, including connection fee and provision of 200-litre-capacity water storage tank, is being borne by the State Government. In addition, 50 percent concession is given to the SC households in the payment of monthly charges.