Water connection fee waved in rural Haryana : Bhupinder Singh Hooda

By 1 2 1 News Reporter

Chandigarh 27^th July:--- Haryana Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda has announced to wave off the water connection fee of Rs 500 for all categories of households in rural areas upto March 31,2014.
Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that a decision to this effect has been taken to give boost to the water conservation campaign being implemented in the state. He said that during the water conservation campaign launched from December 2012 to January 2013, as many as 1,35,587 water connections were sanctioned in the rural areas of the state thus reflecting tremendous response from the people to take water connection. Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that under the Indira Gandhi Drinking Water Scheme launched by the State Government in November 2006 to provide private water connections to 100 per cent households and improve their quality of life and cover entire population of Scheduled Castes, 10.36 lakh households of Scheduled Castes households in the rural and urban areas are being provided water connections free of cost. Upto March 31,2013, he said, 10.05 lakh households of Scheduled Castes have already been covered. Under the scheme, a 200 litres water tank fitted with a tap and other accessories is being provided in the premises of households of Scheduled Castes. In addition, a 50 per cent concession on water charges has been given to Scheduled Castes households.He said that the scheme has now been re-christened and become a part of the larger definition covered under the Special Component Sub Plan. He said that to encourage the people to take private water connections, water conservation policy was introduced in the State during 2012. Under this policy, water conservation awards are being given to the eligible gram panchayats who have sanctioned private water connections in minimum of 75 per cent of the households in the village and who ensure provision of taps on all private and public connections.