Chandigarh, March 20:- A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Centre and Haryana Government on Friday in the presence of Union Jal Shakti Minister Mr. CR Patil and Chief Minister Mr. Naib Singh Saini through virtual mode for the implementation of the second phase of Jal Jeevan Mission in Haryana. Commissioner and Secretary of Public Health Engineering Department Mr. Mohammad Shine signed the MoU on behalf of the Haryana Government.
Chief Minister Mr. Naib Singh Saini participated in the MoU signing program through video conferencing from Chandigarh. Public Health Engineering Minister Mr. Ranbir Gangwa, Chief Secretary Mr. Anurag Rastogi and Deputy Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. Yashpal were present on this occasion.
Shri Naib Singh Saini said that this MoU signed today is very important to further strengthen the partnership between the state governments and the central government under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0. In the second phase of Jal Jeevan Mission, the focus of the state government will not be limited to water supply only but will also be focused on its quality, sustainability and long-term management. Under this, modernization of water storage tanks, connecting the remaining households to pipeline water supply and implementation of special projects in water-stressed areas of South Haryana like Nuh, Palwal and Mahendragarh will be done. An investment of about Rs 3000 crore will be made on all these schemes. The Chief Minister said that in the first phase of Jal Jeevan Mission, the state government has also fulfilled its resolve to ensure continuous supply of tap and sufficient drinking water to every household in the rural areas of Haryana. When the Jal Jeevan Mission was launched in 2019, only 58 percent of rural households in Haryana had a tap connection, but with the continuous efforts of the government, on April 6, 2022, the government has achieved 100 percent coverage and made its place among the leading states of the country. This achievement is the result of the positive changes in the lives of lakhs of families in Haryana. He said that there was a time when women had to bring water from far away, but now the changes brought about by providing clean water to women in their homes is a symbol of social respect and improvement in the standard of living. He said that today a strong and comprehensive infrastructure of water supply has been established in Haryana. This includes canal-based water tanks, water tanks, tubewell-based water tanks and boosting stations. Billing has been made transparent through the BISWAS portal and payment has been simplified through BBPS. A multi-channel system has been implemented to resolve citizens' complaints.
The Chief Minister said that water quality is the top priority for the government and in this direction, NABL accredited state-of-the-art labs have been established in all 23 districts of the state. Also, mobile testing vans have been deployed in remote areas.
He said that under the able leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the country has given top priority to water security in the concept of a developed India. Water is not just a resource, it is a symbol of life and dignity. With this thinking, we all have to take this mission forward as a mass movement and it is a source of raising the standard of living of the citizens. This is a strong step towards realizing the concept of a developed India, so let us all come together and make our significant contribution in the work of taking this campaign to the masses and providing clean water to every home.
Haryana achieves 100% target in first phase of Jal Jeevan Mission - Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil
On this occasion, Union Jal Shakti Minister Mr. CR Patil, who joined from New Delhi through video conferencing, praised Chief Minister Mr. Naib Singh Saini and said that under Jal Jeevan Mission, Haryana State has done remarkable work and has achieved 100% target in first phase. Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, the officers and team have done an excellent job in providing clean drinking water to every household, working with dedication and efficiency.
Mr. CR Patil, while stating that coordination and agreement with all the states is necessary for the effective implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission-2, said that continuous meetings are being organized in this direction. He welcomed all the officers and representatives associated with the mission including Haryana Chief Minister Mr. Naib Singh Saini and said that on the basis of the success of Jal Jeevan Mission-1, now the second phases are being taken forward with greater vigour.