New Delhi, 26 May 2012

Gujarat’s performance in water sector was highly appreciated and looking to its performance, additional installment of 140 crores was released by the Government of India in March, 2012. Further, 50% of the first installment of 2012-13 was released to Gujarat. It is one of the five few states which have qualified to receive its first installment because of its very high performance assessment, based on a result framework document which was released today during the Conference of State Ministers and Secretaries of drinking water and sanitation held here under Chairmanship of Union Minister Shri Jairam Ramesh. This was stated by Gujarat Water Supply Minister Shri Nitinbhai Patel after the conference.

Gujarat Minister also added that the State Government has been taking many initiatives in the water sector. While it was expected that each State should provide water with 40 LPCD, Gujarat has gone beyond and has been giving 70 LPCD to 100 LPCD looking to the requirement of the consumption of water not only for human beings but also for cattle population.

Gujarat is first to introduce solar based water pumping which Government of India is contemplating to introduce in many States. In terms of connection of water pipeline to households, Gujarat achieved 74% connections to rural households while the current 12th Five Year Plan of India is contemplating to reach at least 35%. 100% management devolution for decentralized water governance through Panchayati Raj Institution has been achieved and the WASMO model has earned recognition both nationally and globally. Even Gujarat’s initiative for having separate dispensation for water supply to out growth areas of urban centres was noted. Government of India is planning to introduce this scheme in many other States as discussed in the Conference. Hon’ble Minister, Shri Nitinbhai Patel, while giving a blue-print of various achievements mentioned that State like Gujarat, which has already gone ahead in many rural drinking water programmes that have been introduced by Government of India now, should not be left out from financial allocation and should be given special incentives for having done good works in this field.

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