Patna : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for water supply schemes and building structures worth Rs 7,166 crore under the ‘Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal’ initiative at an event in Patna.The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for the new headquarters of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), which will be built at a cost of Rs 83 crore.
Addressing the event, CM Nitish reiterated his commitment to ensuring that every household in Bihar receives clean drinking water. He emphasised the need for timely completion of the newly launched projects and stressed that the ‘Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal’ scheme should continue to be implemented effectively to ensure that residents receive uninterrupted water supply.
Ensuring higher standards of water supply
Pankaj Kumar, Principal Secretary of the Public Health Engineering Department, informed the gathering that the state government is providing 70 litres of water per person per day to rural households, which is 16 litres above the national average. He added that all water supply schemes under the initiative are being operated and maintained by the department in line with national standards of drinking water quality.
Bihar Government’s ‘Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal’ scheme, which aims to provide tap water to every home, has garnered praise across the country for its effectiveness in improving access to clean water in rural areas.
Call for timely completion of projects
During his address, the Chief Minister urged officials to ensure that the newly initiated projects are completed on schedule. “Our aim is to provide pure drinking water to the people of Bihar without any interruptions. Maintenance of the schemes is equally important,” he said.
The Chief Minister was welcomed by Pankaj Kumar, who presented him with a green plant as a symbol of environmental sustainability. The event also included a seminar on the ongoing schemes of the Public Health Engineering Department and the screening of a short film highlighting the achievements of the initiative.
Dignitaries in attendance
The event was attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, Public Health Engineering Minister Neeraj Kumar Singh, Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena, and Development Commissioner Pratyay Amrit, along with several other senior officials. District Magistrates and Public Health Engineering Department officials also joined the event via video conferencing.
