Par panel asks Centre to keep it updated on ARWSP schemes

Concerned over the slow rate of completion of water projects in 15 states, a Parliamentary panel has asked the Centre to inform it about the progress made in the execution of schemes under the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme.
The Public Accounts Committee, chaired by BJP MP Murli Manohar Joshi, has refused to accept the "stock reply" tendered by the Drinking Water and Sanitation Ministry.
The PAC said it was "concerned to note that no time frame has been provided to ensure timely completion of schemes as more than one to four thousand schemes are pending finalisation in 15 states."

In its report tabled in Lok Sabha, the panel said, "the committee would like to be apprised of the present status of 56,162 schemes which were stated to be completed by March, 2012."
Earlier, the Ministry had informed the panel that 56,162 schemes are targeted to be completed by March 2012, 9,885 schemes by March this year and 3,298 schemes after this month.
Reiterating that the Ministry should keep a constant watch over the progress of remaining 9,885 schemes which are slated for completion by March, the panel urged it to streamline and improve implementation of ARWSP so that these schemes are completed on time and a status report is submitted within three months.

The panel also recommended that the independent agency engaged to carry out a nationwide verification of data of these schemes completes its work within stipulated time frame.
The Ministry had informed that the agency engaged to carryout the nationwide verification of data is expected to be submitted by the end of March.