ALL VILLAGES IN PUNJAB TO HAVE WATER SUPPLY, SEWERAGE & TOILETS: RAKHRA

Ludhiana, September 25, 2016: Punjab Water Supply & Sanitation Minister Mr Surjit Singh Rakhra today said that Punjab government would be providing 100 percent water supply, sewerage and toilets to all households in all villages of the state. Mr Rakhra said that the work on this project under the Swachh Bharat Mission is already underway and would be completed by October 2, 2017. He said this while laying the foundation stone of Rs 21 crore project for providing sewerage facility to 14 Panchayats of three villages- Meharban, Jagirpur and Bajra located on the outskirts of the city along with Punjab Irrigation Minister Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, here today.
While speaking to media persons, Mr Rakhra congratulated Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon for the start of this project. He said that this particular project would benefit a population of more than 50,000, which was earlier facing problems in the absence of a sewerage system. He said that there is no shortage of funds with the Punjab government when it comes to carrying out development projects in the state.
He said that the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janta Party led state government has carried out a record development in various fields such as constriction of Roads, Rail Over Bridges (ROB's), Bridges, Irrigation, Power Generation, construction of several memorials, besides many other works. He said that it is only due to the efforts of CM Mr Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal that Punjab is now amongst the top states of the country in terms of infrastructure development.
Mr Rakhra said that for providing all basic facilities to rural areas at par with the urban areas, the Punjab government has started a plan under which all villages would have 100 percent water supply, sewerage and toilets. He said that this particular project under the Swachh Bharat Mission would be completed by October 2, 2017. Mr Rakhra informed that the Punjab government has also worked really hard in higher education sector as 13 new universities have been started and 19 new colleges would be started soon.
Irrigation Minister and Sahnewal MLA Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon informed that with a cost of Rs 21 crore, 14 Panchayats would be provided sewerage facility. He stated that this project would be completed in next six months time, and after completion, a population of 50,000 from Sahnewal constituency would be benefitted and they would be provided 8500 sewerage connections. He said that for covering this entire area, a 164 kilometer long sewerage line would be laid and claimed that the problem of sewerage in the area would be resolved permanently.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included Mr Simranjit Singh Dhillon, General Secretary, Youth Akali Dal, Mr AK Sinha, Principal Secretary, Water Supply & Sanitation Department, Mr Daljit Singh Cheema, Chief Engineer, Water Supply & Sanitation Department, Mr Gurcharan Singh Meharban, Senior SAD leader, Mr Ranjit Singh Mangli, SGPC member, Mr Sehajpreet Singh Mangat, OSD to Irrigation Minister, Mr Maninder Singh Natt, Sarpanch, Kakowal, besides several others.