RELIEF FOR NAL-JAL SCHEME CARETAKERS

RELIEF FOR NAL-JAL SCHEME CARETAKERS

31-JULY-ENG 15

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA----------------------There is welcome news for caretakers who provided private land for 'Nal-Jal' schemes—implemented by the Panchayati Raj Department under the Chief Minister's Rural Drinking Water Scheme.

To resolve the long-pending issue of honorarium payments, the state government has introduced a new, simplified system. Under this arrangement, the pending and monthly honorariums due to caretakers who provided private land will be transferred directly to their bank accounts via DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer).

In this regard, the Bhojpur District Panchayat Officer has issued an official letter to all Block Development Officers (BDOs), Block Panchayati Raj Officers, and Panchayat Secretaries, strictly instructing them to ensure the prompt implementation of these state government directives on a priority basis.

The letter issued by the department notes that several key water supply schemes under the Chief Minister's Rural Drinking Water Scheme are currently operating on private land. The honorarium for the concerned landowners had been pending for a long time because the land had not been registered in the name of the Governor; this was adversely affecting the smooth operation and maintenance of these schemes.

Addressing this serious issue, a final decision to implement this new system was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by the Development Commissioner, Bihar.

Under the provisions of the new system, the honorarium for the concerned landowners or caretakers will no longer be disbursed through the Implementation and Management Committee; instead, the Panchayat Secretary will make the payment directly into their bank accounts via DBT at a rate of ₹2,000 per month.

The directives also clarify that landowners who do not wish to register their private land in the name of the Governor must execute an agreement with the Panchayat Secretary on a ₹1,000 stamp paper.

This agreement must explicitly state that they will not create any obstacles to the operation of the drinking water scheme running on their land and will continue to discharge all their duties as caretakers with full dedication.

This agreement will be legally executed before a First Class Magistrate, with signatures from both parties.

Once the agreement process is complete, the Panchayat Secretary will transfer the entire amount of pending and regular honorarium directly to the concerned landowner's bank account via DBT.

The total expenditure incurred on stamp duty and notarization during this entire process will be borne by the concerned ..will be carried out by the Gram Panchayat using its contingency fund.

The District Panchayat Officer has issued clear instructions to all concerned blocks to ensure prompt and 100% compliance with these state government orders, so that all pending matters can be resolved quickly and the operation of drinking water schemes in rural areas can continue without interruption.