Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Monday has extended the time for fixing up the meters through empanelled agencies to claim 20,000 litres free water scheme to April end.
Municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao announced in the state legislative council responding to a question posed by the MLC MS Prabhakar Rao that the Hyderabad metropolitan water supply and sewerage board (HMWSSB) has been working to ensure efficient water supply and people’s needs.
He said that excluding commercial and other connections within GHMC limits, 95 per cent of the connections would benefit under this scheme which is linked to Aadhaar.
The last date for fixing up meters was March 31 and customers can install meters from 24 empanelled agencies.
The board has formed 500 teams who are visiting every household to advise people to get meters from the authorized agencies to avail of the free water scheme.
KTR said that under the scheme, about 2.29 million families have so far benefited through connections, adding that by the end of this month, another 300,000 families will be eligible for the scheme.
The state government would be spending Rs 500 crore for the scheme and every paise utilized under the scheme was accountable, he added.
The people in united Andhra Pradesh, especially women, used to protest at the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board office demanding drinking water supply every summer, the minister recalled.
But the situation has now changed as water is being supplied to all households without any interference, Rama Rao said, adding people in Chennai and Latur got water supplied by railway tankers.