Give priority to drinking water supply in rural areas: Dy CM Budi Mutyala Naidu

Vijayawada: Deputy Chief Minister and Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Budi Mutyala Naidu directed the officials to initiate steps to provide drinking water in rural areas.

Addressing heads of departments through videoconference on Saturday, the Minister said as the State is reeling under intense heat due to summer, the Panchayat Raj and RWS officials should be on the alert and provide adequate drinking water to people and animals.

He said hand pumps and borewell spares should be kept ready to supply water during summer. The Minister said if needed the 15th Finance Commission grants of gram panchayats, mandals and ZPPs should be used for drinking water purpose. Regarding maintenance of sanitation, the machines supplied to village panchayats should be deployed immediately. He said cleaning machines should be utilised to clean toilets at schools and Anganwadis.

The Minister said the government was providing septic tank cleaners to gram panchayats with a budget of 150 crore. He said 5,500 tractors will be provided to gram panchayats at a cost of Rs 455 crore.

Referring to pensions, he said a three-member panel headed by MPDO at mandal-level would undertake scrutiny and ensure that the eligible persons who have been left out are also brought under the scheme. The Minister said employment would be provided to more persons under MGNREGS. He said awareness should be created among daily wage earners on the changed guidelines and 2 times attendance as per the instructions of the Ministry of Rural Development. He said advanced works planning, sanction and grounding shall be ensured by October every year to save material component budget under MGNREGS.

The engineers should strictly adhere to the time schedules of the works which saves exchequer. The Minister said the roads under PMGSY, AIIB and NABARD schemes and Grama Sachivalayam buildings, Rythu Bharosa Kendras, YSR Health Clinics and digital library in gram panchayats should be completed on priority basis.