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Bengal

PHE dept develops scheme to supply water in 14 blocks

The state Public Health Engineering department has chalked out a comprehensive water supply scheme at an estimated cost of Rs 1011 crore in Bankura.
The scheme will benefit 14 blocks, state minister for Public Health Engineering (PHE) and Panchayat and Rural Development Subrata Mukherjee said on Tuesday.
He had tabled the budget proposals for both the departments in the Assembly on Tuesday afternoon.

The target population for the scheme is 30 lakh. The funds will be made available under the Backward Region Grant (BRGF).
The project will resolve the long-standing

drinking water problem in Bankura. Mukherjee said Japan International Cooperation Agency ( JICA) assisted West Bengal Piped Water
Supply Project will fund a project at an estimated cost of Rs 1173 crore. The target population for the same is
15 lakh.

The department has also taken up surface water-based water supply scheme for Kulpi and its adjoining areas in South 24 parganas at an estimated cost of Rs 1332 crore.

It may be mentioned that after coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had given stress on the
supply of drinking water in rural areas.

PHE also set up 220 water testing laboratories and introduced on-site mobile-based water analysis system to analyse water samples
at source.

Mukherjee said the Panchayat and Rural development department, through the programme Community Health Care management initiative (CHCMI) awareness drives, have been taken up issues for rural people regarding various services related to public health.

The Village Sanitation and Nutrition Committee have been set up to monitor proper implementation of the scheme.So far around 1.79 lakh participants have already been trained on different aspects of public health.

Need-based reorientation programme, as well as some specialised training focusing on drinking water and sanitation, is also going on.
The department also approved setting up of 221 ayurvedic dispensaries, 1561 homoeopathic dispensaries and six unani
dispensaries to be set up in different panchayats.

The department has completed construction of 4000km road length and awaits nod for new projects from the Centre.
may be mentioned that the construction of roads in rural sector has changed the economic scenario in the villages.

Because of the improvement in connectivity local people have been able to do business effectively.

Also, the number of girl drop outs has reduced drastically.

Now as the Centre has reduced its share in Pradhanmantri Gram Sadak

Yojna (PMGSY), the responsibility of maintenance of rural roads lies with the state government and it is affecting the coffer of the Panchayat
and Rural development department immensely.
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