Himachal Launches ₹745‑Crore Rural Drinking‑Water Upgrade; Government Moves to Ensure Clean, Reliable Supply
Shimla, 15 June:
Clean water is the cornerstone of a healthy life, and over the past two‑and‑a‑half years the Himachal Pradesh government has prioritised bringing safe drinking water to every household. A series of ambitious schemes is now reinforcing the state’s water infrastructure and widening access—particularly in remote tribal areas.
Major Projects Under Way
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Rural Water Upgrade, Phase I (NDB‑funded)
• Cost: ₹745 crore (₹148 crore state share)
• Scope: 20,663 rural households in eight districts will receive improved, piped drinking‑water service.
• Progress: 43 per cent of the 79,282 Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) planned under the broader Rural Water & Livelihood Project—costing just over ₹1,062 crore—have already been installed across 2,471 habitations in ten districts. -
Tribal Area Supply
• Lahaul‑Spiti: 20 schemes, ₹27 crore
• Kinnaur: six schemes, ₹72 crore
Anti‑freeze pipes will be used to keep supplies running through severe winters. -
Urban Strengthening
• 17 towns—including Mandi, Theog, Chamba, Hamirpur, Dalhousie, and Palampur—are covered under projects worth ₹298.87 crore; work is under way in 11, with the remainder to start in 2025‑26.
• A further ₹167 crore will fund new schemes in Bhuntar, Nahan, Jawali, Arki, Nirmand, Jogindernagar, Shahpur, Bhatiyat, and Karsog. -
District‑Focused Weekly Supply Areas
One locality in every district has been selected for assured daily‑cycle supply. Underground or lift schemes in Rampur, Chamba, Nalagarh, Ghumarwin, and Nadaun are already progressing; 23 towns are upgrading their networks.
Clean‑Water Technology Push
The state has approved the ₹200‑crore Mukhyamantri Swachh Jal Shodhan Yojana (₹80 crore in the first phase). Advanced processes—ozonation, UV, RO, and nano‑filtration—will be installed to curb waterborne disease and raise quality standards. In 2024‑25, Kangra district alone will see treatment plants worth ₹43 crore at Jawalamukhi, Jaswan, Pragpur, and Dehra.
Monitoring and Quality Assurance
Sensor‑based monitoring is being introduced on 291 schemes across ten districts. A state‑level and 14 district‑level NABL‑accredited laboratories are planned, adding to the 71 testing labs already in operation.
Green Energy and Sewerage
Solar panels—installed via HIMURJA—will power pumping, sewerage, and irrigation systems. Six urban sewerage projects are in progress, with five more set for launch in 2025‑26. Forty‑one rural sewerage schemes have also been cleared, while 14 towns in Kangra, Mandi, Chamba, and Kinnaur will receive new networks.
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu underlined that “no compromise on public health” will be tolerated. “Our government is committed to delivering clean water and modern sanitation to every citizen,” he said, adding that innovative steps taken in the past 30 months aim to realise a clean and green Himachal and universal household sewerage.
These initiatives, officials noted, will not only safeguard public health but also position Himachal Pradesh as a model of sustainable, people‑centred development.
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