All Block Development Officers have been directed to convene special gram sabha meetings in the state on March 5, 6 and 7 to approve and pass resolutions for the transfer of in-village drinking water infrastructure.
In a major administrative move aimed at strengthening decentralised water management, the Jal Shakti Department is handing over 800 rural water supply schemes to the gram panchayats in Kangra district comprising Nurpur, Dehra and Dharamsala circles. The responsibility of the distribution of piped water from around 200 schemes in Nurpur, 155 in Dehra and 450 rural schemes in Dharamsala is being handed over to the gram panchayats in these three Jal Shakti Department circles.
As per the policy of the Central Government, gram panchayats are being geared up to take over the responsibility of the distribution of piped water supply from village storage tanks to consumers. However, the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the infrastructure from the water source up to the distribution tanks will continue to remain with the Jal Shakti Department.
Meanwhile, the Panchayati Raj Department issued an order on February 27, directing all Block Development Officers (BDOs) to convene special gram sabha meetings in the state on March 5, 6 and 7 to approve and pass resolutions for the transfer of in-village drinking water infrastructure to the gram panchayats. After the gram sabhas approved the resolutions, the respective panchayats will levy and collect water user charges at the rate of Rs 100 per month from above poverty line households and Rs 25 per month from below poverty line households.
According to Deepak Garg, Chief Engineer, Jal Shakti Department, Dharamsala, the in-village infrastructure of all rural water supply schemes is being transferred to the gram panchayats. He says that while the panchayats will handle piped water distribution and user-level management, the department will undertake the operation and maintenance works. He adds that the gram panchayats will also ensure the transfer of unspent tied grants of the 15th Finance Commission earmarked for drinking water supply schemes to the Jal Shakti Department for operation and maintenance responsibilities from the water sources to the storage tanks.
Inquiries reveal that as per the Central Government policy, these tied grants are directly being transferred to the gram panchayats under the operation and maintenance framework to ensure sustained rural drinking water management.
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