K Chandrashekar Rao seeks Centre's help for Bhagiratha

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has urged Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to extend financial help for the flagship programmes like Mission Bhagiratha taken up by the State government.

The Union Minister, who was here to chair a meeting of Irrigation Ministers of the Southern States, had called on KCR at Pragathi Bhavan on Monday. The Chief Minister explained in detail how the Mission Bhagiratha would supply potable drinking water to every house in the state.

He said it would cover 24,000 habitations in the state and hence was cost-intensive project.

KCR said, "Mission Bhagiratha brought a substantial and qualitative change in the lifestyle of rural women. It is an end-to-end solution. The process of drawing water from source to end point is unique. This is through overheads by gravity.

As on date, 23,968 habitations have been covered under the scheme and only 91 were left, which are in remote tribal areas." The Chief Ministerf said the project was on the lines of the Centre's aim to provide safe drinking water under Jal Jeevan Mission.

He drew the attention of the Union minister that the TS government had already taken the lead and that is why it was urging the Centre to extend financial help. Shekhawat praised the works taken up under the Mission and said that he would soon visit the state again to examine the works implemented under the scheme at the field level.

He suggested that the state government should study the improvised sewerage treatment plant system which would help in using treated water for domestic and agricultural purposes. Such a method is globally tested and appreciated, and the treated water can also be used for village sanitation, he added.

The Union minister said the Centre would examine the possibility of implementing the Mission Bhagiratha type of scheme for the provision of safe drinking water to every household all over the country, said the sources in the CMO.