Rs 10b for water supply, sanitation schemes

Sajid Bashir
Saturday, June 11, 2011

LAHORE

THE Punjab government has allocated Rs 10 billion for water supply and sanitation schemes for 2011-12 while previous year’s allocation was Rs 9.5 billion.

In the budget 2011-12, presented on Friday, Rs 4.31 billion have been allocated for 523 ongoing schemes and Rs 5.69 billion for six new schemes.

The ongoing schemes include 56 urban water supply schemes, 50 urban sewerage and drainage schemes, 214 rural water supply schemes, five devolved projects and six Punjab based schemes. The ongoing schemes also include 192 rural sewerage and drainage schemes.

The new schemes include rehabilitation of non-functional rural water supply schemes in brackish water and Barani areas, replacement of outlived and damaged pipelines and provision of services to the areas of 15 cities.

In the policy announcement, the government envisaged identification of rural water supply schemes on need base practically in brackish, contaminated and arsenic-affected areas, rehabilitation of need-based non-functional schemes, linking investment with achievements, provision of water supply and sanitation facilities in medium-sized and semi-urban towns and areas and discouragement of sewerage system in the rural areas. The government also intends to establish water testing laboratories at each district headquarters for monitoring water quality. Installation of water filtration plants in every union council, especially in the rural communities, is also included in the plans.

Under the improving sanitation and environmental sustainability plans, the government will make wastewater treatment plant as integral part of urban sewerage drainage schemes such as Kasur Environmental Improvement Project with total outlay of Rs2,526 million.

For the preservation of water resources, the government has initiated plans for proper management of ground water resources and their conservation at provincial level, controlling pumping and maintaining a balance between inflow and outflow and promoting water metering concept in the rural communities and ensuring 100 percent metering in the urban localities for economical and efficient use of water.

The government also plans capacity-building and establishment of a research and training institute in water supply and sanitation, continuation of the PMUs in PHED for provision of water supply and sanitation infrastructure and digital mapping of the urban and rural communities for comprehensive planning.


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