Chandigarh, January 29 – Under the ambitious “Jal Jeevan Mission” Scheme Haryana Government set a new benchmark as the State has reached the goal of providing Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to more than 1.44 lakh households within a month.
Giving the details of the district-wise Household Water Connection regularized up to January 28, 2020, under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a spokesman of the Public Health Engineering Department said that 6411 water connections have been regularized in Panchkula, 14139 in Ambala, 15367 in Rohtak, 12697 in Mahendragarh, 10549 in Kaithal, 15690 in Karnal, 8593 in Jhajjar, 5088 in Sonipat, 11911 in Rewari, 7929 in Yamunanagar, 4422 in Panipat, 4561 in Kurukshetra, 9543 in Sirsa, 6212 in Jind, 1815 in Palwal, 2449 in Hisar, 1386 in Nuh, 2244 in Fatehabad, 2696 in Bhiwani, 644 in Gurugram, 31 in Faridabad, 168 in Charkhi Dadri.
The spokesman of the Public Health Engineering Department said that in a bid of providing Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every household in the villages of the country by the year 2024, the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi had announced a new scheme by the name of “Jal Jeevan Mission” from Red Fort New Delhi on August 15, 2019, and for which a total amount of Rs. 3.60 lakh crore has been earmarked. However, in Haryana, Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal has set a target of implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission across the State by December 2022.
The spokesman said that according to the 2011 census, there are a total of 30.47 lakh houses in the rural areas of the State and of which of 53.47 percent of households already have regular/ functional water connections. He said that out of 30.47 lakh households, the online survey of about 11.79 lakh households is yet to be conducted.
He informed that a three-phase action plan has been prepared by the State Government to provide 100 percent Functional Household Tap Connections by the year 2022. It was informed that in the first phase, houses will be provided with a functional household tap. While, in the second phase, along with providing drinking water connection, pipeline laying, tubewell, booster, etc. will be completed and in the third and last phase, along with providing drinking water connections, the work will be completed of large raw water projects, multi village schemes, distribution systems, boosters, water treatment plants, etc.
He informed that in the first phase, the State Government has a target of providing regular drinking water connections to 70 percent households by September 30, 2020, while in the second phase, a target of 80 percent has been set by June 30, 2021, and in the third and last phase, a target has been set to provide water to 100 percent households by December 31, 2022.
The Spokesman said that under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the State Government also has a target of providing 55 liters pure drinking water per person per day in households and further and the water quality will be as per IS 10500 standard. He said that the Gram Panchayat will have to bear 10 percent of the expenses of the work carried out under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
While sharing information about the terms and conditions of drinking water connection, he said that an online household survey is being done in which, data is collected to provide FHTCs to every household and on the basis of which the connections will be regularized. Apart from Saral Kendra, in the online household survey, provision for regularizing drinking water connections has also been made. He informed that a form has been provided on the website of the Public Health Engineering Department for consumers who apply for drinking water connection after getting registered in the online household survey.
He said that under the Jal Jeevan Mission, for providing Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC), Rs 2000 as road cut charges have been waived off by the Government and citizens would be provided with two options either pay Rs. 500 upfront as new connection charges and or will pay Rs. 50 (i.e. Rs. 40 flat-rate + Rs. 10 extra) for general connection and Rs. 30 (i.e. Rs. 20 flat rate +Rs. 10 extra) for SC connection., as per prevailing Government tariff pay, in this way, the payment of Rs 500 as a connection fee will be collected. The monthly water bill for rural areas has been fixed at Rs 20 per connection for scheduled caste and Rs 40 for general caste.
He informed that an online household survey is being conducted by the officers of the Water and Sanitation Support Organization of Public Health Engineering Department and Suksham Yuvas to make the drinking water data of every household is being made online. He said those who have irregular water connections will be made regularized in this survey. Apart from this, in households where the drinking water pipeline has not reached, the drinking water arrangements will be made on the basis of this survey. Therefore, all the villagers should fully cooperate with the teams of the Public Health Engineering Department in getting the details of their households online under this survey, so that the State Government’s commitment to providing water to every household by the year 2022 can be fulfilled.
He informed that an online house survey is being done in 7518 habitations of all Gram Panchayats of the State. So far, out of 7518 habitations in all the Gram Panchayats of the State, 7019 habitations is being surveyed out of which the data of the 18.69 lakh households have been made online.