The Punjab government, for the provision of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities to the entire rural and urban communities of the province, has allocated Rs9.886 million for 2012-13, and the amount is slightly lower than the previous year’s allocation of Rs10 million.

In the budget 2012-13 presented on Saturday, Rs4 602.822 million have been allocated for 389 ongoing schemes while Rs5 283.178 million have been allocated for seven new schemes.

The ongoing schemes include 45 urban water supply schemes, 46 urban sewerage and drainage schemes, 147 rural water supply schemes, 148 rural sewerage schemes and three Punjab based schemes.

The new schemes include rehabilitation of non-functional rural water supply schemes in Brackish and Barani areas, gastroenteritis (replacement of outlived and damaged pipelines and provision of services in left over area of fifteen cities, urban-rural water supply schemes and rural sewerage and drainage schemes.

In order to provide quality drinking water facilities, Rs500 million have been provided under the Saaf Project and this substantial financial allocation will help in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Total 192 water supply schemes (45 urban and 147 rural) are being executed at a total cost of Rs14 552.06 million. Similarly, 194 sanitation schemes (46 urban and 148 rural) are being executed at a cost of Rs14 552.06 million.

In the policy announcement, the government envisaged identification of rural water supply schemes on the need-based in brackish-contaminated and arsenic-affected areas, rehabilitation of need-based non-functional schemes, linking investment with achievements, provision of water supply and sanitation facilities in medium-sized and semi urban towns and areas and discouraging sewerage system in the rural areas. The government also intends to establish water testing laboratories at each district headquarters for monitoring water quality. Installation of water filtration plants in every union council, especially in the rural community, is also one of the plans.

Under the improving sanitation and environmental sustainability, the government will make wastewater treatment plant as the integral part of urban sewerage drainage schemes such as Kasur Environmental Improvement Project at a total outlay of Rs2 332 million. For the preservation of water resources, the government has initiated plans for proper management of groundwater resources and their conservation at provincial level, controlling pumping and maintaining a balance between in and outflows and promoting water metering concept in the rural communities and ensuring 100% metering in the urban localities for economical and efficient use of water.

The government also plans capacity-building and establishment of research and training institute in water supply and sanitation, continuation of the PMUs in PHED for provision of water supply and sanitation infrastructure and digital mapping of the urban and rural communities for comprehensive planning.

Source: thenews.com.pk