Guwahati, May 28: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday emphasised the need to ensure the sustainability of water supply schemes being implemented under the Central governments flagship 'Jal Jeevan Mission' programme.
The Jal Jeevan Mission is aimed at providing safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections to all dwellings in rural areas by 2024. Reviewing the scheme with officials of the Public Health Engineering Department here, the chief minister said, pipes laid for water supply by the department were crucial for the sustainability of the mission.
Directing the officials to draw up a maintenance policy, Sarma said, it should specify the type of items to be used, implementation strategy and operational mechanism for the assets to be created under the Mission. Before the execution of the scheme, a scientific and quality control study must be carried out as overground water channels used for piped water supply schemes keep changing leading to the dysfunction of many schemes, Sarma said.
He also directed the authorities to immediately recruit the necessary workforce for the success of the Mission besides adopting innovative ways to make the PHED schemes sustainable. He also asked them to convene zonal meetings with contractors to facilitate speedy implementation of schemes. PHED Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Additional Chief Secretary S Abbasi, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Samir Kumar Sinha, and other senior officials were present in the meeting.
