Punjab to construct 8 lakh latrines in villages in 2 yrs

To ensure complete sanitation in rural areas, the Punjab government will construct eight lakh latrines at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore in the next two years.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to review status of various sanitation and water supply works here.
The Chief Minister was apprised that 2,68,700 latrines would be constructed in 4,000 villages by March 31, 2016 in the first phase, an official spokesman said here today.
Badal was also informed that 24,285 latrines had already been constructed in 749 villages across the state, he added.

Likewise, to ensure 100 per cent water connections, a programme to provide potable drinking water through 1,725 water supply schemes in 2,795 habitations were being taken up at a cost of Rs 83 crore at the level of Gram Panchayat Water Supply Committees to provide over three lakh water connections and this project was expected to take off by next December.
Apart from this, another project of new water works envisaging 209 schemes in 216 habitations involving an expenditure of Rs 161 crore was underway as the works on 101 such schemes had already been awarded and the remaining works would also be allotted shortly.

It was also informed in the meeting that a sum of Rs 175 crore would be spent on funding additional new water works including 226 schemes in 247 habitations to be taken up in April, 2016.
Besides, 116 water works schemes were also being taken up in the water-logged areas of southern districts in the state at a cost of Rs 300 crore, the spokesman said.