Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Nod for 41 drinking water projects

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many as 41 drinking water projects costing Rs.733 crore will be completed with public participation and the Special Package Assisted by Nabard (SPAN) in two years.

A one-day workshop was held here on Wednesday to mark the inauguration of a venture aimed at launching 10 new projects and reviving 31 others which were taken up years ago with LIC assistance and left incomplete.

Briefing mediapersons about the decisions of the workshop, Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran said that the projects were expected to provide drinking water to 20 lakh people. The Kerala Water Authority handed over details of the 41 projects to Nabard chief general manager Bhavar Puri in the evening after according administrative and technical sanctions.

Other than the representatives of local self-government institutions, 30 MLAs also attended the day-long workshop which was conducted as part of an intensive programme launched by the Water Resources Department to complete the projects in a time-bound manner.

Mr.Puri said that the first component of the funds, 20 per cent, would be released immediately and the department would not have to wait endlessly for securing the remaining components too.

The Minister said that a monitoring system had been put in place for timely completion of the projects. Other than the routine departmental monthly review, elected representatives and the Minister would conduct a quarterly review.

Implementing officers would be held responsible for the lapses.

Details of the projects would be posted on the KWA website. Advance registration for domestic connections would be introduced in the project areas, Mr.Premachandran said.

Earlier, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan in his inaugural address, urged Nabard to sanction a package for irrigation to increase paddy cultivation in the State.

All the 999 grama panchayats would start paddy cultivation in 10 acres within their purview to step up rice production. Lack of irrigation facilities was one of the major hiccups.

The project target could be achieved with the support of Nabard. He congratulated Mr. Puri for providing the special package.

Mr. Premachandran said that the department would evolve as a service organisation by taking up projects with people’s participation.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Pampa river basin authority proposed
Home-grown remedy to food shortage
A place to polish English skills
Use of elephants for festivals to be closely monitored
BSNL extends offer
Methodical teaching paid dividends: Baby
Invitation to new singers
Power workers’ protest
TBGRI scientist wins award
KWA consultancy wing
Law reforms panel’s term extended
Cremated
Settle doctors’ stir: Chandy
Central nod for presenting Bill
Nod for 41 drinking water projects
Unknown death
Fisherman dead
KWA to get 750 crores from Nabard
Garbage plant: Corporation to tie up with CED
Curbs to check misuse of water in city
Munnar land: BJP seeks CPI’s apology
Minister warns doctors
Thiruvananthapuram Today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu