Unique initiative for permanent maintenance of drinking water schemes in rural areas of Chhattisgarh
Rural youth are being given training for tap-pipe fitting, electrical fitting-repairing, solar panel repairing, pump operator
The Chief Minister distributed free tool kits to 90 Jal Mitans and young entrepreneurs in the program
Target to train 58 thousand youths in the state for water harvesting and young entrepreneurs
Raipur, 12 June 2023
Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel today inaugurated the first and unique program of its kind ‘Jal Mitan-Yuva Udyami’ Entrepreneurship Skill Development Project for operation and permanent maintenance of drinking water schemes in rural areas of Chhattisgarh. Under which Jal Jeevan Mission and UNICEF were started for the availability of efficient water harvesting in rural areas. Under this programme, 21-day residential training is being given to the rural youth in the trades of Water Quality Testing Services, Tap-Pipe Fitting Repairing, Aro Fitting-Repairing, Electrical Fitting-Repairing, Solar Panel Fitting-Repairing, Pump Operator Service etc. Under this programme, there is a target to provide skill development training to 58 thousand rural youth in the state.
Chief Minister Mr. Baghel and Public Health Engineering Minister Mr. Guru Rudra Kumar provided free tool kits to 90 Jal Mitans and young entrepreneurs who received training as a symbol in the program organized at Chief Minister’s residence. Safety shoes, helmets and equipment etc. have been given to the youth in a tool kit worth Rs 15,000. 540 youths and 90 young entrepreneurs of the state have been given high level residential training for 21 days.
Public Health Engineering Minister Shri Guru Rudrakumar presided over the programme. Chief Secretary Mr. Amitabh Jain, Secretary to Chief Minister Dr. S. Bharatidasan, Mission Director of Jal Jeevan Mission Chhattisgarh Mr. Alok Katiyar, UNICEF WASH specialist Ms. Shweta Patnaik were also present in the programme.
Addressing the program, Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel said that Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country, where a large number of rural youth are being trained for the operation and maintenance of drinking water schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission and they have been trained in Jal Mitan, Youth Preparation is being done for the maintenance and operation of the schemes as an entrepreneur and Jal Didi.
The Chief Minister said that continuous efforts are being made by the state government to connect the youth with self-employment and employment. Along with unemployment allowance, skill development training is also being given to the youth. Chief Minister said that 540 youths have been given high level training under Jal Jeevan Mission, they are being provided free tool kit today. Under this programme, these trained Jal Mitans and Jal Didis have got new opportunities for self-employment. The Chief Minister congratulated and congratulated all the trained youth.
The Chief Minister said that under the Jal Jeevan Mission, a target has been set to provide tap water connections to 50 lakh households in rural areas of Chhattisgarh, under which tap connections have been given to 24 lakh households so far, when such a large number of taps If connections have been given, a large number of trained youth are also needed for their operation and maintenance, so that the schemes can be run smoothly. These trained youth will always get employment opportunities. There will be no dearth of work. The Chief Minister said that during his recent stay at Kondagaon, appointment letters were provided to about 550 youths who were trained in skill development there. The work of connecting youth with self-employment is being done continuously.
Presiding over the program, Public Health Engineering Minister Shri Guru Rudra Kumar said that due to the lockdown, we got only two years for the works of Jal Jeevan Mission. Appreciating the team of Jal Jeevan Mission, he said that due to their hard work and dedication, the work of providing 45 percent tap connections of the target set by Jal Jeevan Mission has been completed in just two years. The Public Health Engineering Minister said that while working in the same way, we will complete the task of providing tap water connections in the entire state as soon as possible so that pure drinking water can be supplied to the people as soon as possible.
Secretary to the Chief Minister and Secretary to the Public Health Engineering Department, Dr. S. Bharathidasan said that a large number of tap-water schemes are being operated in the state, so for their maintenance and operation, a large number of efficient water harvesting will be required at the village level. Keeping this in mind, a target has been set to train 58,000 youths as Jal Mittans in the entire state with the help of UNICEF under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Out of which 11 thousand youths have been trained on the recommendation of Gram Panchayats. Out of these, 540 youths were given high level training, to whom Chief Minister Mr. Baghel has distributed free tool kits today. The cost of each tool kit is Rs 15,000.
UNICEF’s Water and Sanitation, Hygiene Specialist Ms. Shweta Patnaik while addressing the program said that Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to start ‘Jal Mitan’ program. This program has been launched in Chhattisgarh to ensure sustainable maintenance of water supply schemes at the panchayat level. It is based on the concept of ‘One Stop Solution’ for maintenance of drinking water structures through multi-skilling and entrepreneurship model. Mission Director of Chhattisgarh Jal Jeevan Mission Mr. Alok Katiyar expressed his gratitude to the guests.
