Govt to take loan for completion of GSWSS phase-III: Malngiang

Minister of Public Health Engineering (PHE) Samlin Malngiang told reporters on Friday that so far only the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) has agreed to provide the loan at low interest rate.

“It (HUDCO) has expressed its willingness to give the loan at 7-8 percent interest. However, I have asked the chief engineer to also write to other financial institutes as well so that we can go with the one that offer the lowest interest rate,” he said.

The minister also informed that he would very soon convene a meeting to review the implementation of the project.

Asked, Malngiang said the additional fund of another Rs 100 crore is required due to cost overrun since the project was sanctioned 10 years ago in 2008 and that the scheme cannot be revised.

It may be mentioned here that the project was approved by the Government of India at a cost of Rs 193.50 crore in October 2008. Earlier, the project was first targeted to be completed on May 2011.

The objective of this project was to create infrastructure to provide for the supply of additional 24 million litres of water to the projected population of Shillong Urban Agglomeration from 2011 to 2041.

The minister further pointed out that the deduction of Rs 17.41 crore due to the failure of the state to hold the municipal election had also affected the project.

Stating that the overall progress of work being at 72-74 per cent, Malngiang said that the laying of pipelines is going on fullswing except for around 80 meters at Ladmawreng where a private land owner is not allowing laying of the pipelines to pass through her land.

According to him, the deputy commissioner is still trying to convince the land owner.

Meanwhile, the minister assured that once the loan is granted, a new deadline will be set to ensure the completion of the project.

By Our Reporter