The New Indian Express                 30.05.2013

Water Resources Minister P J Joseph said that the State Govt has no intention of privatising drinking water supply in the state.

“Apprehensions have been raised about the new company that it will take over the role of the KWA. But this is not true and the govt had issued a new order defining the role of Kerala Drinking Water Supply Company Ltd and that of KWA,’’ he said.

“Allocation to KWA has been enhanced for this purpose and will be further increased over the next five years. The new company will be on CIAL model, in which the State Govt shall hold 26 pc equity, KWA 23 pc and the balance equity would be from local bodies, beneficiary groups, residents associations etc,’’ said the new order. ‘’The company will also produce and supply packaged drinking water at reasonable rates,’’ he said.

Govt Submits Proposal

Minister P J Joseph  said that the State Govt had submitted a proposal for `5,300 crore drinking water project, for clearance from the Centre, which would be implemented with the aid of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Joseph said that out of the `5,300 crore, `1,000 crore would go for a drinking water project in Ernakulam dist.

“The Water Resources Dept utilised 98.53 per cent of the plan fund in the year 2012-13, while it was 58.40 per cent in 2011-12 financial year. In this financial year, 58 new drinking water projects were given nod with a total plan outlay of Rs 597.21 crore,” he said.

“The old pipelines will be replaced with the new ones and for this, in this financial year we have set apart `90 crore.