LUDHIANA: Bikram Singh Majithia, Minister for Water Supply, Sanitation and Information and Public Relations and Environment Punjab informed that the state government had chalked out a comprehensive program to provide potable drinking water in all the villages of the state and to boost the on going schemes, a new World Bank sponsored  project named " Punjab Water Supply and Sanitation Project" costing  to Rs 1280.30 crore has been launched.

Majithia was addressing a rural gathering, after laying the foundation stone of a new Water Supply project costing to Rs 58.15 lakh at Agwar Lopon Khurd (near Gurdwara Nanaksar) about 45 kms from here, Saturday.

Further elaborating the  drinking water supply program,  Majithia informed that under this project, funds amounting to Rs 1008.80 core would be spent for infrastructure building, Rs 119.50 crore for Community Development and Rs 152 crore for Project Management. He said that out of the total funds, the World Bank was contributing Rs 479.40 crore, Punjab Government Rs 235.40 crore and Government of India Rs 207.20 core and the remaining would be the community share. He said that the drinking water was one of the main basic amenities and with the pollution and lowering of the level of under ground water in the state, it has emerged as a major problem of the state. The Minister said that the consumption of polluted water in many part of the state, causing  fatal  serious diseases like cancer, diarrhea etc.

He said that under an other program of NABARD, 21 Water Supply projects worth Rs 827.80 corre were already under progress, under which, funds amounting to Rs 461.21 crore have been incurred up to 31 st May 2007 and total 2296 habitations have been provided with potable drinking water supply. In addition, village ponds in 1000 villages were be renovated and laying of under ground drainage and sewerage system in 100 villages was being taken up to improve the environment, he added.

Majitha further disclosed that Punjab government had made a provision of  Rs 428.22 crore in the budget for current financial year. For this purpose, under which, Rs 267.02 crore were being spent on State Sponsors Scheme, Rs 161.20 on the Centrally Sponsored Water Supply Scheme in the state. He said that with the implementation of this scheme, no village of the state would be left uncovered.

The Minister further informed that   under the NABARD Program, 113 schemes costing to Rs 30.16 crore, 171 villages were in progress in Ludhiana district alone. He informed that the government has also accorded sanction to a new project costing to Rs 3.63 crore to execute water supply 19 villages situated along Budha Nala in Ludhiana district and to cover the remaining 116 villages, two more projects have also been submitted for approval costing to Rs 13 crore.

Referring to over all development, the Minister asserted that SAD- BJP government was committed to fulfill of the promises made with the people and was bring out a special program to create larger scale job opportunities for the employment youth. He said that skill development  centers for providing training in small vocations were also being set up in all parts of the state and the technical education was being fully revamped. He claimed that the government was committed to strengthen education facilities in the rural areas of the state. T he Minister     said that the Punjab Government had also  focused on the strengthening infrastructure in the state big infrastructure project  of Rs. 7000 crores have been started and asserted all the major roads were being widened and strengthened to make  the state number in the country as for as development is concerned.    

Expressing his special gratitude to Sant Baba Sadhu Singh and Sant Baba Lakha Singh of Nanaksar, Mr. Majithia said that these religious personalities were spreading message of universal peace and brotherhood among the people.

Later interacting with the media men, Majithia said that special attention would be laid to ensure  the proper maintenance of the water supply schemes envolveing the Panchayats. Answering a question regarding the representation to the youyh in the governance, the  Minister said that in SAD, the Youth had already was being  given substantial importance in policy making and running of the government along with the senior leaders.

Among others who were present on this occasion included Mr. Darshan SinghShivalik, Dr Amar Pal Singh Bonny (both MLAs), Mr. Bhag Singh Mala Ex- MLA, Mr. Harsuhinder Singh Gill Member SGPC, Mr. Harvinder Singh Chief Engineer Water Supply and Sanitation,  A K Soni SE and Munshi Ram Kamboj XEN.