Chattisgarh rural households to have tap water connection by 2023: Baghel

All 39 lakh rural households in Chhattisgarh will have access to pure drinking water through tap connection by 2023, state Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said on Sunday.

In the 19th edition of his monthly radio address programme 'Lokvaani', Baghel spoke on New Era of Development and gave a detailed account of development and welfare initiatives being taken in the state, a government statement said.

We have started a major campaign through 'Jal Jeevan Mission', under which pure drinking water will be supplied through tap connection to all 39 lakh rural households by the year 2023," the release quoted the chief minister as saying in the recorded address.

Earlier, the target was to supply 40 litres of pure drinking water per person a day, which has now been increased to 55 litres per person a day. In the current financial year, budget of Rs 850 crore has been allocated for this scheme, he said.

The Centre has set a deadline to provide tap water connection to all rural households under the Jal Jeevan Mission by 2024, but in Chhattisgarh, we want to complete the target work a year before, he added.

Highlighting the benefits of the new industrial policy of the state, Baghel said, the work to set up food parks in every development block has been started.

In Durg district, a mega forest produce processing unit is being set up at a cost of 78 crore while the state government has collaborated with private companies to establish more such units at different places, he said.

Baghel further said that since his party came to power in 2018, healthcare facilities have significantly improved in the state, which helped in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the end of 2018, there were 1,378 doctors working in government hospitals, while at present, the number of doctors has increased to 3,538 in government health facilities, he said.

We are also going to open new medical colleges in Kanker, Korba and Mahasamund, which will further increase the number of doctors, he added.