Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, May 6: On the initiative of Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, the Administration of UT Ladakh today signed a MoU with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti for ensuring a sustainable and reliable drinking water supply in the region.
The MoU was signed between the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), under the Ministry of Jal Shakti and PHE and Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) Department of the UT Administration. Minister of Jal Shakti, C R Patil, MoS, Jal Shakti, V Somanna and Secretary, Jal Shakti Ministry, Ashok K K Meena, were present on the occasion.
The MoU would formalise collaboration for the effective implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0, a flagship programme of the Government of India, aimed at providing clean and adequate drinking water through functional household tap connections to every rural household.
One of the most striking features of this MoU is the 100 per cent Central funding for water connection in each household in Ladakh, as declared by the Minister, Patil. Treating Ladakh as a special case, the Ministry would bear the entire cost of Rs 4 lakh per water connection in Ladakh.
The development follows the proactive engagement of the Lt Governor Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena, with the Union Minister of Jal Shakti, C R Patil, wherein key issues related to water security in Ladakh were deliberated upon. The LG has consistently advocated for enhanced Central assistance and interventions in development projects in Ladakh, tailored to its unique ecological and geographical context.
According to the MoU, a structured framework has been established to ensure the commissioning and handover of piped water supply systems to local institutions, such as Gram Panchayats and Village Water & Sanitation Committees.
“This MoU marks a significant milestone in our journey towards achieving water security in Ladakh. Through strengthened collaboration under the Jal Jeevan Mission and initiatives like Project Him Sarovar, launched recently to harness snow and glacial melt, we are committed to ensuring that Ladakh becomes water self-sufficient. Given Ladakh’s unique challenges, this partnership will enable us to build sustainable, resilient and community-driven water infrastructure for the future,” said LG Saxena.
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