CS to head Apex Committee under JJM
SWSM abolished, Jal Jeevan Mission constituted
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 25: The Jammu and Kashmir Government today renamed the Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control Department as ‘Jal Shakti Department’, abolished State Water and Sanitation Mission (SWSM), under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) and also constituted Apex Level Committee headed by J&K Chief Secretary under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
Official sources said that the General Administration Department (GAD) vide Govt order No. 497-JK (GAD) of 2020 dated April 24, 2020, has renamed the Public Health Engineering/ Irrigation & Flood Control (PHE/I&FC) Department as ” Jal Shakti Department” and included it at serial No. 27-A in the Ist Schedule of the J&K Government Business Rules. The order further said that the sub-entries (2) and (5) appearing at Serial No. 27 (Public Works), in the First Schedule of the J&K Government Business Rules, shall stand deleted.
Meanwhile, the Government abolished the erstwhile State Water and Sanitation Mission, Jammu and Kashmir , under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) and constituted Jal Jeevan Mission, J&K with an Apex Committee, Executive Committee and Mission Directorate.
The Government also nominated Administrative Secretary, Jal Shakti Department as Ex-officio, Mission Director of Jal Jeevan Mission, J&K and Special Secretary/ Additional Secretary to the Government, Jal Shakti Department as ex-officio, Additional Mission Director.
Meanwhile, the Government constituted an Apex Level Committee under Jal Jeevan Mission, J&K with Chief Secretary as its Chairman and Administrative Secretary, Jal Shakti Department as its Member Secretary. The other Members of the Apex Committee are- Administrative Secretary, Finance Department; Administrative Secretaries Health and Medical Education Deptt; School Education Deptt; Planning, Development & Monitoring Deptt; Information & Public Relations Deptt and Administrative Secretary of Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj; Representative of Ministry of Jal Shakti, Govt of India; Director ( Head), J&K Branch , Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) Govt of India; Regional Director, Central Ground Water Board Jammu and Dr Nitin Joshi, Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering, IIT, Jammu.
While referring to the terms of reference, the sources revealed that the Apex Committee shall provide policy guidance for overall planning, strategizing and implementation of Jal Jeeval Mission (JJM), in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir; give in principle approval of action plan/ road map for providing functional house-hold tap connection (FHTC) to every rural house hold of the UT; lay down water quality and service standards in consonance with Govt of India guidelines; to recommend charges for providing water connections to the rural people; monitor financial discipline including timely utilization of funds; to coordinate among Departments and other agencies for convergence of funds; finalize action plan for devolution of powers empowering Gram Panchayats / sub committees of Panchayats for management of village infrastructure; to devolve powers to District Jal Mission for accord to administrative approval of intra-district and in village infrastructure / water supply schemes; bring about effective policies and regulations for efficient water use by other sectors, ie. industries, agriculture and institution in tune with J&K State Water Resources ( Regulation & Management) Act, 2010 and as per guidelines fixed by the State Water Resources Regulatory Authority from time to time and to enforce uniform policy for use of ground water etc.
Meanwhile, the Government also constituted Executive Committee under Jal Jeevan Mission J&K with Mission Director, JJM as its Chairman and District Jal Jeevan Mission with District Development Commissioner as its Chairman. Besides, Chairman, the Executive Committee under JJM will have 11 Members. They are- Mission Director, National Health Mission; Project Director SSA, J&K; Chief Engineer s Jal Shakti Department Kashmir/ Jammu; Director Finance, Jal Shakti Dept; Director Planning, Jal Shakti Dept; Director Planning, RDD; Additional Mission Director, Jal Jeevan Mission (Member Secy); Director Rural Sanitation Jammu; Gagan Jyoti, Chief Engg Mechanical, PW(R&B) Deptt Jammu and Dr P G Jose, Scientist -D and In-charge Western Himalayan Regional Centre, National Institute of Hydrology.
This committee shall function under over all control and supervision of Apex Committee and provide required assistance to the Apex Committee for implementation of JJM objectives and its operational guidelines and also provide required support to the District Jal Jeevan Missions besides others.
District Development Commissioner of each district would be the Chairman of the District Jal Jeevan Mission while SE Hydraulic concerned as Member Secretary. The other Members of the DJJM will be – Addl District Development Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner Development, Divisional Forest Officer concerned, Chief Planning Officer, Chief Medical Officer concerned, Chief Education Officer concerned, District Social Welfare Officer/ District Tribal Welfare Officer, District Information Officer, Executive Engineer Jal Shakti Dept concerned, Executive Engineer ( Mech) Jal Shakti Deptt concerned and two persons to be nominated by the DDC from the field of water management, community health community development etc. The DJJM will be responsible for Village Water and Sanitation Committees as per the guidelines issued by the Govt/ Apex Committee and provide required hand holding support to Halqa Panchayats and the VWSCs for implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission Schemes. It will also ensure preparation of Village / Panchayat Action Plan by each village of the district as provided in the operational guidelines of the Mission besides performing other allied functions and duties.
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