Chandigarh, December 25: Punjab has made notable strides in improving water accessibility and sanitation for its rural communities, as announced by Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian.
With Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s leadership, Punjab has become the fifth state in India to achieve 100% rural piped water supply under the ‘Har Ghar Jal’ program, the Minister said.
To tackle challenges related to water quality and availability, the state has launched 15 canal water projects covering 1,706 villages at a total cost of ₹2,174 crore. These initiatives are expected to benefit around 25 lakh people and 4 lakh families.
On the sanitation front, Punjab has succeeded in making all its villages Open Defecation Free (ODF) under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). This achievement includes the construction of 5.64 lakh household toilets and 1,340 community toilets.
Besides, 10,435 villages have achieved ODF Plus (desirable) status, and 1,289 villages have earned the ODF Plus (model) recognition. Solid and grey water waste management systems have been installed in 3,366 and 9,909 villages, respectively.
The state operates a network of 31 NABL-accredited water testing labs and two mobile labs for monitoring water quality in rural areas. With support from PEDA, 20 biogas plants and 23 plastic waste management units have been set up across the state to ensure sustainable waste management.
