Velumani seeks Rs 5,398 cr from Centre for water projects 

In a memorandum that Velumani handed over to Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Jal Shakti on Tuesday, he stated that the funds would be utilised to implement projects, including a desalination plant in Villupuram district, with a capacity of 100 million litres per day (MLD).

The desalinationplant would serve Tindivanam Municipality, Marakkanam and Vikkaravandi town panchayats apart from other rural local bodies. The project would cost of Rs 2,000 crore and expected to serve 16.78 lakh persons.

Appraising the Union Minister about the projects taken in Chennai, Velumani stated that two major desalination projects at an estimated cost of Rs 7,337.78 crore to supply 550 MLD of water are taken up and both these projects are expected to be completed by December 2022.

Of the total Rs 5,398 crore projects that await Central government funds, Rs 1,800 crore would be spent for combined water supply scheme (CWSS) project to provide water to Sivaganga district with Cauvery River as the source. The project would benefit 10.77 lakh persons.

Funds have also been sought for revamping and rejuvenation of outlived 155 CWSS to improve the performance and supply efficiency at an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore and Rs 448 crore to take up various drought mitigation works in rural local bodies.Creation of rainwater harvesting structures for improving the water resources and conservation in TWAD maintained CWSS at an approximate cost of Rs 50 crore has also been planned.

To set up micro composting centres in local bodies, Velumani requested Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to sanction Rs 300 crore.

Apart from Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Velumani met Union Minister of Housing, Urban Affairs, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Home Minister Amit Shah seeking funds for several projects.