Public Health Engineering Department, Bihar Holds State-Level Workshop on O&M Policy for Rural Water Supply Schemes

A one-day state-level workshop on the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Policy for Water Supply Schemes was organized today at Hotel Maurya in Patna by the Public Health Engineering Department, Government of Bihar, in collaboration with Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation, Kolkata, and UNICEF Bihar. The workshop was organized to provide detailed discussions on issues related to the operation and maintenance of rural water supply schemes in the state under the "Tap Water for Every Home" scheme.

During the workshop, experiences related to the implementation of the O&M Policy over the past four years were discussed. These topics included regular maintenance of water supply schemes, asset management, water quality monitoring, consumer participation, grievance redressal mechanisms, and monitoring through technology. Based on the experiences shared by officials from various districts and field levels, practical aspects of the policy were discussed.

Addressing the workshop, Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh, Honorable Minister, Public Health Engineering Department, stated that the State Government has constructed a large-scale water supply infrastructure in rural areas, and ensuring the smooth operation and maintenance of these schemes is a constant priority for the department. He stated that the Operation and Maintenance Policy has institutionalized the continuity of water supply services, water quality monitoring, and community participation.

On this occasion, the Honorable Minister also clarified that it is essential to identify water supply schemes whose Operation and Maintenance (O&M) contracts are nearing expiry. He urged that the O&M tender process for such schemes should be completed before the expiry of the existing contract period, so that no water supply scheme faces disruption due to lack of O&M.

On this occasion, Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Special Secretary, Public Health Engineering Department, stated that the rural water supply sector in the state has expanded significantly since the launch of the "Tap Water for Every Home" scheme. To date, over 1.20 lakh rural water supply schemes have been constructed in the state, providing household tap connections to over 1.86 crore rural households. He stated that for the effective operation and maintenance of these schemes, the department implemented a comprehensive O&M policy four years ago, and experiences related to its implementation were shared at this workshop.

On this occasion, Mr. Amit Kumar Ranu, MLA from Belsand Assembly constituency, commended the work being done under the Har Ghar Nal Ka Yojana. He urged officials to translate the discussions held at the workshop into concrete action on the ground.

From a national perspective, Mr. Priyatu Mandal, Director of the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation, Kolkata, stated that tap connections have reached most rural households, but ensuring the quality of drinking water remains the most important challenge. He commended Bihar's progress and suggested that the state continue to evaluate and improve its operational processes in accordance with national standards.

The workshop focused on ensuring uniformity in the O&M policy provisions across the state, standardizing reporting and monitoring processes, and strengthening implementation at the field level. Experts from prestigious institutions such as IIM, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation, Kolkata, and UNICEF Bihar shared their experiences and suggestions. The suggestions received through the workshop will be compiled for effective policy implementation.

The workshop was attended by Mr. Priyatu Mandal, Director of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation, Kolkata; Manish Vasuja, WASH Specialist, UNICEF India; Prabhakar Sinha, WASH Specialist, UNICEF Bihar; Professor Gopal Naik, IIM Bengaluru; Mr. Nityanand Prasad, Chief Engineer and Special Secretary, Public Health Engineering Department; Mr. Abhay Kumar Singh; senior officials from the department, district and regional level officials.