The State Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department has approved Rs2.12 crore under National Rural Drinking Water Programme for implementing 11 ‘Nal-Jal’ (tap water) Schemes in Bilaspur district.
This includes six schemes of Masturi block and five schemes of Takhatpur block.
The Department has issued administrative approval orders in the context from Zonal Chief Engineer Office in Bilaspur.
PHE Minister Ramsevak Paikra has ordered officials concerned to complete all the schemes in given time-limit and sanctioned budget so as to facilitate safe drinking water supply in respective areas.
Meanwhile, State Government's Water Resources Department has sanctioned Rs3.73 crore for Darrabhatha Diversion Irrigation Scheme in Saraipali development block of Mahasamund district.
Construction works under the scheme when completed will facilitate water-supply for irrigation of nearly 155 hectares of area in the district.
The Department has already issued orders regarding this administrative approval from Mantralaya (Mahanadhi Bhavan).
The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) has achieved considerable success in digging up tube wells in the district during the past three years, officials stated.
During the aforesaid period, around 1,500 tube wells were dug in which only 105 remained unsuccessful.
Moreover, during the period, a total of 1,389 new hand pumps were installed out of which 892 were installed under National Rural Drinking Water Programme and 497 were installed by the State Government under its scheme. The hand pumps were installed between April 2012 to December 2014.
Chief Minister Raman Singh has said that the State government has set a target of providing two lakh domestic tap water connections in the rural pockets of Chhattisgarh during the next one year.
He said that during the last financial year ( 2014-15), a total of 94,400 domestic tap water connections were provided in the villages through 2,400 ‘Nal-Jal’ water supply schemes.
The Chief Minister said that the new financial year beginning April 1, 2015 a budget provision of Rs862 crore had been made for ensuring better drinking water facilities in the State.
He said that a provision of Rs5 crore had been made for implementing community water supply schemes in a total of 19 rural pockets of the State.
During the new financial year, a total of 22 cities have been included in the water supply schemes with a budget provision of Rs28 crore. Singh stated that during the last financial year, new hand pumps were installed in 2232 rural settlements and 734 schools.