Bihar Assembly Speaker Calls Urgent Meeting to Address Water Scheme Grievances
In a decisive move to tackle mounting concerns over the Har Ghar Nal Jal Yojana, Bihar Assembly Speaker Prem Kumar convened a high-level meeting on Friday. The session brought together key stakeholders, including the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) minister and senior officials from multiple departments, to address issues raised during a call attention notice in the recently concluded budget session.
Cross-Party MLAs Highlight Implementation Failures
MLAs from across party lines voiced serious criticisms regarding the scheme's execution. They pointed out that implementation by ward members across the state has been extremely poor, leading to widespread dysfunction. Key problems identified include broken or non-functional pipes and taps, often due to non-payment of electricity bills. Additionally, land disputes over borewells and water tanks, coupled with non-payment of honorariums to tap water caretakers, have severely hampered the scheme's effectiveness.
Action Plan Formulated to Resolve Complaints
During the meeting, it was decided that all MLAs will now formally inform the PHED of complaints related to the Har Ghar Nal Jal Yojana in their respective constituencies. To ensure swift resolution, PHED Minister Sanjay Singh will conduct district-wise meetings specifically aimed at addressing these grievances. This structured approach aims to streamline the complaint redressal process and improve on-ground implementation.
Key Attendees and Departmental Representation
The meeting saw participation from a diverse group of MLAs, including Mithilesh Tiwari, Vinay Kumar Chaudhary, Randhir Kumar Singh, Raju Tiwari, Subhash Singh, Kumar Sarvjeet, Jyoti Devi, and Rahul Kumar. On the official side, principal secretaries and secretaries from critical departments were present, such as CK Anil from Revenue and Land Reforms, Vinay Kumar from Urban Development and Housing, Pankaj Kumar Pal from PHED, and Manoj Kumar from Panchayati Raj. Rahul Kumar, Managing Director of the North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (NBPDCL), also attended, highlighting the interdepartmental collaboration required to address the scheme's challenges.
This meeting underscores the Bihar government's commitment to enhancing the Har Ghar Nal Jal Yojana, a flagship initiative aimed at providing tap water to every household, by proactively addressing operational hurdles and ensuring better service delivery for citizens.
