CHANDIGARH: The Congress government in Punjab will strongly oppose the Centre’s move of the Union Government to amend the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP).Once this amendment is passed, the Amarinder Singh government fears the ongoing drinking water supply schemes will be adversely affected in more than 9,000 villages of the state.
Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Razia Sultana said a high-level meeting was held on Tuesday. “The Punjab Government is ready to provide its share of 50 per cent of funds, but it appears that Centre is shying away from its responsibility.”
As per the proposed amendment, she said, the Centre will now provide funds to only such villages where consumption of drinking water is below 40 litre per capita per day (LPCD).
She said that if the proposed amendment is effective, it will adversely affect the water supply scheme in more than 9,000 villages of the northern state.“These schemes may be halted midway because the consumption of drinking water is more than 40 litre per capita per day (LPCD),” she added.