24x7 water supply in Chandigarh: Originally left out, 13 villages to also be part of project
Deductions in other areas make surplus funds available to extend project to the 13 villages, says Chandigarh municipal commissioner
The 24x7 water supply project planned for Chandigarh will also cover the 13 villages that came under the municipal corporation’s jurisdiction in December 2018, making the city the first in the country to offer round-the-clock water supply to all of its population.
Originally, these villages – Behlana, Raipur Khurd, Raipur Kalan, Makhan Majra, Daria, Mauli Jagran, Kishangarh, Kaimbwala, Khuda Ali Sher, Khuda Jassu, Khuda Lahora, Sarangpur and Dhanas – were not part of the project and only piecemeal benefits were to be extended to them.
But now all features of the project, including 24x7 water supply, smart metering and modernised piped water supply, will be provided at these 13 villages on the same scale as sectors.
The change came about after the project note was circulated among different Union ministries and Niti Ayog for their approval.
“During appraisal of the project, the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) deducted around ₹32 crore from different project components by incorporating changes in design, engineering, etc. This resulted in surplus funds, which will now be utilised to extend the project to the 13 villages, thereby expanding the scope of the project to the entire city,” said Anindita Mitra, MC commissioner and CEO, Chandigarh Smart City Ltd that is executing the project.
PIB on board, only FM nod left
The Public Investment Board (PIB) on Friday decided to recommend the 24x7 water supply project for approval of the Union finance minister (FM).
Mitra on Friday made a presentation of the project before the PIB in Delhi.
The board, headed by the secretary (Expenditure), Union ministry of finance, and including members from Union ministries of home and external affairs, and Niti Ayog examined the project threadbare. Questions were raised on different projects aspects, like its conception, its sustainability, maintainability, contractors’ role, capacity building, project design, city’s water needs, etc.
Having green-lighted it, PIB will now forward the project to the FM for the final approval.
Following the minister’s nod, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed between the Chandigarh MC and the donor agencies, which is expected next month.
Loan, grant to fund the project
Agence Française de Développement (AFD) is going to provide ₹413 crore for the project in the form of a loan, which is to be repaid in 15 years. In addition to it, the European Union is also giving a grant of ₹98 crore.
AFD, under the government of France, had in December approved around ₹413-crore loan and the European Union sanctioned ₹98 crore to the Chandigarh MC for the first-of-its-kind ambitious 24x7 water supply project and communicated the same to the government of India. This is the first time in the northern region of the country that any city has received this much money from foreign agency for any project.
The project’s implementation has already begun in the city. UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit on November 14 last year laid the foundation stone of the pilot project for Manimajra.