Assam: DDWS Secretary reviews Jal Jeevan Mission and SBM-G and lauds state

GUWAHATI: The Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, Vini Mahajan, reviewed the progress of the Jal Jeevan Mission and the Swach Bharat Mission (Grameen) in Assam today. She lauded the state for its substantial achievements on this front last year.

After reviewing the progress, Secretary Mahajan urged the states to meet the targets set.

Mahajan lauded Assam for the substantial progress the state has been able to achieve in the last financial year. However, he asked the state to focus on the basic operation and maintenance of the schemes that have become operational to ensure their sustainability. She emphasised the role of related departments like Panchayat and Rural Development, Forestry, and Education, along with the district administrations, and urged them to ensure better synergy between them to ensure the success of the mission.

Mahajan lauded the states for having achieved substantial success with regards to the skilling of manpower. It may be mentioned here that more than 11,000 personnel have been trained to take on the roles of Jal Mitra (Scheme Volunteer) and plumbers. She asked the state to focus on ensuring water quality through the network of Field-Testing Kit Women’s Groups as well as the network of water testing laboratories across the state.

With regards to the progress of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), Assam, Mahajan, expressed her satisfaction at the achievement of 100 percent Outdoor Defecation Free Plus status by Assam. However, she said that a lot is yet to be achieved with regards to grey water management, faecal sludge management, and solid waste management in the state.

The review meeting was conducted in the presence of Chief Secretary Paban Kumar Barthakur, Special Chief Secretary Syedain Abbasi, and Additional Chief Secretary Ravi Kota. Other officials present during the meeting included J.B. Ekka, Principal Secretary, Panchayat and Rural Development; Laya Madduri, Secretary, Finance; Kavitha Padmanabhan, Commissioner & Secretary, Department of Housing & Urban Affairs; Omprakash, Mission Director, Samagra Siksha Abhiyan, Assam; Kailash Karthik, Secretary, PHED; and MD JJM Assam; Jay Shivani, Commissioner, Panchayat and Rural Development; and MD SBMG Assam; Sonali Ghosh, Director, Kaziranga National Park; along with senior officers of Public Health Engineering, Jal Jeevan Mission, Assam; and Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen, a press release said.

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