New Delhi, June 11 (MExN): Minister of Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Nagaland, N Jacob Zhimomi has requested the Union Minister Union of Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to assist the state in making full piped water connectivity to all household by 2024.
Zhimomi made the appeal during the meeting convened by Jal Shakti Minister with the State Ministers on Water Conservation, Rural Drinking Water Supply and Swachh Bharat Mission (GRAMEEN) on June 11 at Vidyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
He informed the meeting that out of 2000 habitations across the rural population, only 48.76% of water supply connectivity had been covered, and 51.3% remains partially covered and called for the centre’s assistance.
Shekhawat agreed to take up the request ‘in earnest,’ informed a press release issued by Kuolie Mere, PRO, IPR, Nagaland House New Delhi. Zhimomi attended the meeting along with Commissioner & Secretary Water Resources, Nagaland.
The State PHED Minister also congratulated the Shekhawat on behalf of Chief Minister and Government of Nagaland on his appointment, it said.
Interacting with the State Ministers of PHED, the Union Minister reviewed on the conservation of water resources in the states and the action plan for immediate future conserve of water resources in the states.
All participating Ministers from the states congratulated the Union Minister for convening the meeting and for creation of new ministry called Jal Shakti Mantralaya (Drinking Water & Sanitation) and gave assurance to work together under his leadership, the release said.
Shekhawat also called for corporative federalism among the states and for rational use of water in the country and mentioned that the Department of Drinking Water and the Department of Water resources have been amalgamated to the Ministry of Jal Shakti Mantralaya, it added.
Meanwhile, the IANS News Agency reported that the Central government has decided to increase coverage of piped water to households from current 18 per cent to 100 per cent by 2024.
Shekhawat, however, insisted that since 'water' was a state subject as per the Constitution and sought collective efforts and a public movement to achieve the target, it said.
He also told the meeting that Sikkim had 99 per cent coverage of piped water to households, while some states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand had below 5 per cent, it added.
