Deccan Chronicle 12.08.2009

Water Board, GHMC set to merge

Hyderabad

Aug. 11: The minister for municipal administration, Mr Anam Ram Narayana Reddy, on Tuesday told the Assembly that Metro Water Works and Sewerage Board will soon be merged into the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation for better co-ordination.

He said this after the MIM floor leader, Mr Akbaruddin Owaisi, pointed out lack of co-ordination between the GHMC and the Metro Water Board resulting in frequent repairs of drinking water and sewerage pipes.
“In fact, sewerage is also flowing into drinking water pipes because those have not been upgraded since the Nizam period. The Water Board has no funds to take up upgradation of the entire system,” said Mr Owaisi. Other members also raised voice for better co-ordination between the two organisations.

On the death of 13 people in Bholakpur after drinking contaminated water, the minister said the next of the kin of the dead have been given Rs 2 lakh ex gratia already.

Raising serious concern over the quality of drinking water being supplied in the city, members demanded time-bound action plan to provide safe water.

The BJP member, Mr G. Kishan Reddy, and Mr Owaisi asked the government to take up the Krishna Water Scheme Phase-III and complete it at the earliest.

“If the government wants to use Godavari water for drinking purposes, we have no objection. But the project will cost Rs 3,000 crore and will take three years to be completed,” Mr Owaisi added.

“The existing pipelines are not capable of carrying 200 to 240 MGD, whereas the requirement is about 340 MGD. It would be foolish to depend on one source of water for this big city,” the minister said.

He informed that laying of new pipelines for both drinking water and sewerage will be taken up by spending nearly Rs 300 crore.

The Business Line - New Delhi

Govt to rope in private sector for 2,500 model schools in 11th Plan

Our Bureau

New Delhi, Aug. 11 The Government’s policy on public-private partnership in the education sector will be finalised in four weeks, the Minister for Human Resource Development, Mr Kapil Sibal, said on Tuesday.

“In four weeks we will have a model ready to be adopted. It is too late to do any more pilot projects. We need to deliver. We will move ahead and see that (it is) done for the next academic year. We plan to build at least 2,500 model schools,” the Minister said after a meeting at the Planning Commission.

The Minister said not only the interests of the private sector, but also those of the students and the Government need to be protected both in terms of quality and content.

The meeting, at which various models were looked at for setting up schools through the PPP route, was also attended by the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

The Government has committed to set up at least 6,000 schools during the XIth Plan period, of which at least 2,500 will be through the PPP route. Private investment of about Rs 10,000 crore is expected to flow into setting up these schools. The remaining 3,500 schools will be built by the Government.

On earning profits

There appears to be no change in the thinking regarding allowing private education institutions to earn profits, with the Government likely to continue with the policy of private entities such as trusts, societies or non-profit companies setting up such schools.

The selection criteria likely is that the net worth of the sponsor be Rs 25 crore for every school being set up or the entity have a track record in school education.

It is also proposed that the Central Government provides funds for 12 years during which the school will get Plan expenditure funds for five years and would have to generate funds from non-Plan resources for the remaining seven years. While State governments are being asked to commit fee support for eight years, thereafter all other capital and recurring expenditure will have to be borne by the private entity.

It is proposed that the Government provide each student a monthly fee support of Rs 1,400 and an interest and rental support of Rs 400 for 10 years. The possibility of indexing government support to the Wholesale Price Index with a minimum increase of 5 per cent annually is one of the proposals being mooted.

Sources indicate an additional proposal to provide incentives and penalties based on CBSE results and other key performance indicators is on the cards.

A private entity chosen to set up such schools will not only be required to procure affiliation to the Board, but also set up the school according to the CBSE guidelines on land, infrastructure, labs, library, nature of management, fees, admission, examination, maintaining reserve funds and audits among others.

The location of the schools will be decided by balancing the demand from private sector entities and need as determined by the Government which is likely to support up to 1,000 students a school.

Tuition fee

It is proposed that SC/ST/OBC and girls be charged a tuition fee of Rs 25 a month, non-tax payers Rs 100, while other students will pay market-based fee.

Welcoming the proposal, Mr Santanu Prakash, Educomp Solutions’ Managing Director, said his company will be happy to help the Government on such a move. “We will be willing to give all our expertise,” he said. Educomp is the only listed K-to-12 (kindergarten to XII standard) company.