Delhi- AAP government recounts water success story

A video was also launched on the occasion in the presence of DJB Chairman Keshav Chandra and vice chairman Dinesh Mohaniya.

New Delhi, Feb 13: A day before it completes two years in office, the AAP government today listed its "achievements" in the water sector, including sops and expanding the supply map of DJB, and pledged to provide clean drinking water to every household by December.

Water Minister Kapil Mishra released the department's annual report in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and ran through initiatives like free water upto monthly a consumption of 20 kilolitres, fee waiver and commissioning of treatment plants.

Mishra took on the critics of government's water subsidy, saying instead of hitting DJB's revenue generation, it has increased the Jal Board's earnings by about Rs 178 crore, essentially through tackling graft and innovative schemes. Sisodia claimed politics had come in the way of development of this sector and accused BJP and Congress leaders of being complicit in running "tanker mafia" in the city.

"The dream is that peopole drink water directly from the tap. We will ensure guaranteed potable water supply. A pilot project will be launched this month," he told reporters.

Mishra said the project will be launched in a Malviya Nagar locality but did not provide further details. Mishra said the free water scheme has benefited around 12 lakh families, including residents of co-operative group housing societies and highlighted the 'msewa' app, through which customers can generate their own bills.

"We have laid pipelines in 309 unauthorised colonies since coming to power which is a record. During the last two years, 633 km of new water pipelines have also been laid while the number of active consumers have increased to 19.58 lakh.

"A scheme has been launched for regularisation of unauthorised water connections. Earlier citizens were charged around Rs 14,000 to regularize a water connection which has now been reduced to around Rs 3,000," he said.

A video was also launched on the occasion in the presence of DJB Chairman Keshav Chandra and vice chairman Dinesh Mohaniya. Tomorrow, the government will present its main achievements and release a booklet, tentatively titled 'do saal bemisaal'.

PTI