KAMALPUR, Nov 3 (TIWN): Often the State government trumpeted the demand that in spite of acute ‘central deprivation’ in different development works, the State attained an exemplary mark of development. Among other departments, it has been claimed that the Drinking Water and Sanitation (DWS) department have become able to cover the maximum numbers of habitations in the State with safe drinking water. But the reality of such demands and claims was revealed in the CAG Report 1 of 2015 of Govt. of Tripura. CAG revealed this report for the five years from 2009 to 2014.

In the chapter entitled “Public Works Department (Drinking Water and Sanitation)”, CAG stated “Total funds allocated for water supply schemes in the State during 2009-14 was to the tune of rupees 665.15 crore.” It might be hoped that, with such a huge allocation the state government might has achieved the coverage of safe drinking water facility to the habitations. But the report further disclosed that, in that case the success of the state government remained only 47 percent up to March 2014. The report stated “Though the number of fully covered habitations increased from 1,030 in 2009 to 3,813 in 2014, 4,319 out of 8, 132 habitations in the State (53 percent) remained without access to safe drinking water while 2,363 habitations (29 percent) did not have access to piped water supply as of March 2014.” Moreover, the report also slammed on the State government as it often claimed of extra-ordinary community involvement in development works. It further stated “planning for Rural Drinking Water Supply was deficient as neither bottom-up approach nor community involvement was ensured in the planning process as envisaged in the NRDWP guidelines.”