Over 31,000 households in Tanahun, Nawalpur get tap water

By Amar Raj Naharki,Tanahun, Aug. 15: Under the ‘One House, One Tap’ programme launched by the Gandaki Province government, more than 31,000 households in Tanahun and Nawalpur districts have received drinking water taps.

According to the Tanahun Drinking Water and Sanitation Division Office, a total of 31,382 private taps have been installed by the end of the fiscal year 2024/25. Of these, 17,927 taps were installed in Tanahun and 13,401 in Nawalpur.

Division Chief Shambhu Raj Khanal informed that over 92 per cent of the total beneficiaries in the district now have access to clean drinking water. 

In fiscal year 2024/25 alone, 4,634 new taps were installed, while the target for fiscal year 2025/26 is to install an additional 6,500 taps.

The federal government allocated Rs. 280 million as conditional grants for the project, and the provincial government allocated Rs. 358 million for provincial drinking water projects. 

Similarly, Rs. 442 million was allocated as special federal capital grants. The progress achieved under the provincial programme is 97 per cent physically and 94.3 per cent financially. 

Overall, the office achieved 95 per cent physical and 91.75 per cent financial progress. 

The Division Office’s working area covers both Tanahun and Nawalpur districts. Rs. 16.7 million subsidy on electricity tariffs 

Meanwhile, the Division Office provided Rs. 12.967 million in electricity tariff subsidies to lift drinking water projects in the fiscal year 2024/25.

Following the provincial government’s policy to subsidize electricity costs for lifting drinking water systems, the office extended the subsidy to 128 schemes in Tanahun and Nawalpur. 

The subsidy covered electricity costs from Jestha (May–June) to Baisakh (April–May) of fiscal year 2024/25.

For the current fiscal year 2025/26, payments for the months of Jestha and Asar (May–July) will be made. 

For small consumer committees, the subsidy amount was increased from Rs. 15,000 last year to Rs. 25,000 this year. 

Larger consumer committees receive payments based on percentage criteria. This scheme was introduced last year. 

According to Khanal, “The subsidy arrangement was made in line with the provincial government’s objective of providing drinking water to consumers at an affordable rate.”

Under the 2079 standards for electricity tariff subsidies to lift drinking water projects, beneficiaries consuming up to Rs. 25,000 worth of electricity per month receive a 100 per cent subsidy. 

Those consuming between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 40,000 get 75 per cent subsidy, between Rs. 40,000 and Rs. 60,000 get 50 per cent subsidy, and between Rs. 60,000 and Rs. 80,000 get 25 per cent subsidy. 

Projects with electricity consumption exceeding Rs. 80,000 per month get a 10 per cent subsidy.

To claim the subsidy, consumers must submit the original electricity bill and have no outstanding fines. 

The consumer committee must approve the subsidy request every six months and submit a recommendation from the ward office to the Division Office.