Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan moots ‘war room’ for monitoring drinking water supply

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan during a meeting organised with the MGNREGS workers, near Mangalagiri on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: K.V.S. GIRI

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Panchayat Raj & Rural Development (PR&RD) K. Pawan Kalyan has instructed officials to set up ‘drinking water war rooms’ in the Rural Water Supply (RWS) Department head office and the Collectorates to constantly monitor the water supply situation and solve the problems in the least possible time.

Addressing a meeting of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) workers organised by the PR&RD Department on the occasion of May Day, near Mangalagiri, in Guntur district on Thursday, Mr. Pawan Kalyan emphasised the need to link agriculture with the scheme, while pointing out that it required a recommendation by the 16th Finance Commission, and that the State government would talk to the Centre about the proposal.

He said the funds given to the PR&RD Department under the MGNREGS were like oxygen, and a host of development works were being taken up with the money, and top priority had been given to provision of safe drinking water under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

Mr. Pawan Kalyan said the State government submitted proposals worth ₹87,000 crore to the Centre for various projects under the JJM, and approvals were received for about ₹29,000 crore, which had to be utilised till 2028. “More funds are needed for rolling out the mission, but the State has to wait for the Centre to overcome its constraints in order to fund the schemes in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.

Further, Mr. Pawan Kalyan said the government was working out ways to involve youth in the MGNREGS works so that they could earn, and in the process be helpful in creating assets for the State. He said the MGNREGS workers were indispensable for the development of the nation. Therefore, the State government gave due priority to their welfare and it could increase the daily wage by scrupulously conducting social audits.

The occupation of every person in society, be it a doctor, a scientist, or a worker who does physical work for a living should be respected as per the fundamental principle of ‘dignity of labour’

A sum of ₹10,600 crore was spent on MGNREGS in the State the previous year, including ₹6,190 crore on wages. A host of development works were being executed as part of the ‘Palle Panduga’, he added.

Principal Secretary (PR&RD) Shashibhushan Kumar, Commissioner M.V.R.K. Teja and Director (MGNREGS) Shanmukh Kumar were among those present.