World Bank relaxes water, sewerage charges in Punjab

The World Bank on Thursday agreed to slash mandatory one-time contribution amount from each household in rural areas for the utilisation of bank-sponsored water and sewerage facilities by 50 per cent.

Announcing this here on Thursday, Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Bikram Singh Majithia said he has received a communication from the World Bank country director, who has conveyed these amendments in the beneficiary contribution.

The minister said that in the modified cost sharing rules, the upper ceiling of household share of capital cost has been reduced from the existing Rs 1,500 per household to Rs 800 per household for the general category, and from Rs 750 per household to Rs 400 per household in notified villages along the international border as well as water-logged areas.

The ministry has decided that people belonging to the the Scheduled Caste would contribute only 50 per cent of the prescribed amount.

Majithia said that the amendment in cost-sharing would not only expedite the pace of implementation of the project but will also provide financial relief to the community due to lowering of upper limit of household share of capital cost.