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Kangra to transfer 750 rural water supply schemes to Panchayats

Special gram sabha meetings from March 5–7 to formalise handover from Jal Shakti Department

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In line with the Centre’s policy to decentralise rural water management, nearly 750 rural water supply schemes in Kangra district are set to be transferred from the Jal Shakti Department (JSD) to respective gram panchayats. The move aims to strengthen grassroots governance by entrusting panchayats with the responsibility of distributing piped drinking water to rural households.

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Dharamsala Chief Engineer of the JSD, Deepak Garg, stated that the in-village infrastructure of all identified rural water supply schemes is being handed over to gram panchayats. While the panchayats will oversee the distribution of piped water from storage tanks to consumers, the operation and maintenance (O&M) of the schemes will continue to be undertaken by the department.

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Garg further informed that gram panchayats have already transferred funds received under the 15th Finance Commission to the department to facilitate O&M of these water supply schemes.

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As per an office order issued on February 27 by the Panchayati Raj Department, the state government has directed all Block Development Officers (BDOs) to convene special gram sabha meetings on March 5, 6 and 7 across the state. These meetings will deliberate on and approve resolutions for the transfer of in-village drinking water infrastructure to gram panchayats, along with arrangements for piped water distribution to rural consumers.

Following the formal transfer, gram panchayats will be authorised to levy and collect user charges for water supply services. The approved tariff has been fixed at Rs 100 per month for Above Poverty Line (APL) households and Rs 25 per month for Below Poverty Line (BPL) households.

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Additionally, panchayats will ensure the transfer of unspent tied grants allocated under the 15th Finance Commission for drinking water schemes to the JSD to cover O&M costs from the water source up to the distribution tanks.

Sources indicate that, in accordance with the Government of India’s O&M policy, these grants are directly transferred to gram panchayats to support the sustainable management of rural drinking water infrastructure.

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