Punjab lists piped water supply, sanitation as priority sectors for 15th Finance Commission grants
In an order to ensure universal coverage of rural households with piped water connections, the Punjab government has decided to accord first priority to providing Functional House Tap Connections (FHTCs) in the remaining 17.59 lac households from the tied grants for water under the 15th Finance Commission to meet its 2022 target of 100 percent piped water connectivity.
Of the 17.59 lac households that still remain to be connected, 7.60 lacs with FHTCs would be covered in 2020-21 and 9.99 lac in 2021-22, as per the decision taken on Thursday at a virtual Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
The Cabinet also decided to give top priority to Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) SBM(G) Phase II, for making all villages in the state ODF-plus in the next 5 years, from allocations available under tied grants for sanitation under the 15th Finance Commission.
An ODF Plus village is defined as a village that sustains its Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, ensures solid and liquid waste management, and is visually clean.
The Chief Minister stressed the need to meet both the targets, on water and sanitation, to ensure that the people of the state get the basic living standards they deserve.
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A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said after the Cabinet meeting that the Department of Rural Development & Panchayats has been instructed to issue the necessary directions to Gram Panchayats for utilization of the specified funds for water and sanitation-related activities.
To ensure transparency and proper usage of 15th Finance Commission grants, the allocations are to be transferred to Gram Panchayats in three different bank accounts i.e. for un-tied grants and for tied grants water & sanitation component separately.
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The Punjab Government has already allocated grants to all the villages under the 15th Finance Commission under which funds are tied up to 25% each for water and sanitation-related activities.
For the water project, the State would contribute nearly Rs. 1000 Cr. in FY 21 and FY 22 as its share, including funds to be used from convergence with Finance Commission grants. Projects worth Rs. 2000 Cr. would be completed to augment rural water supply schemes in a big way.
-PTC News
