Drinking water related problems will not be allowed during summers: Minister Mithlesh Thakur

Ranchi : The state government on Wednesday assured that during the summer season nowhere in the problem of drinking water will be allowed to take place.

Drinking water and sanitation Minister Mithilesh Kumar Thakur said that the department is undertaking repair of non-functional hand pumps across the state on a war footing before the onset of the summer season.

Earlier BJP MLA Biranchi Narayan during the question hour raised the matter over which the minister said that in the financial year 2019-20 in wake of funds received from disaster management department special repair of 8848 hand pumps was performed while normal repair of 1,10,521 and pump was done and alongwith that repairs of 849 minor rural drinking water supply schemes was also done.

Apart from that he said that in wake of the coming summer season necessary repair works across the state for non functional hand pumps has been started, on the other hand in every panchayat on the recommendation of the MLAs 5 new  hand pumps will be set up.

The minister pointed that as per the funds received from the 15th finance commission in the panchayats 50 percent of the money will be spent on making arrangements for drinking water supply scheme. Apart from that in different areas solar based mini rural drinking water supply scheme are being set up so that people do not face any problem related to drinking water.

The BJP MLA also pointed out the problems being faced in repair of hand pumps which have been set up through MP for MLA funds. Senior jmm MLA Stephen Marandi intervening in the matter urged the state government that the department should make arrangements for repair of all the hand pumps.

Over this Parliamentary Affairs Minister Aalamgir Aalam said that there is an entire list in the districts regarding the hand pumps which have been set up through MP or MLA fund or through any other scheme. He said that all these hand pumps  have been put up as per the norms of the PHED department and it is the responsibility of the department to get them repaired if they malfunction.