Shimla - Chief Parliamentary Secretary (I&PH) Jagjivan Pal has hailed the decision of the State government for according top priority to the provision of safe drinking water and extending irrigation facilities in the budget presented by Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh during the ongoing budget session of the State Vidhan Sabha. He said that the provision to establish Public Private Partnership Cell in Irrigation & Public Health and five other departments was a welcome step as it would attract more investment. He said that all the census villages in the State had been provided with drinking water facility and now the State government intends to provide 70 Liters per capita per day of water to all the habitations in a phased manner covering 2,500 habitations in 2014-15. Jagjivan Pal said that present State government was giving priority to provide adequate drinking water and irrigation facility to the farmers as due to uncertainty of monsoons, agriculture and horticulture based economy could grow at a quicker pace only when adequate irrigation infrastructure was created. He said that major irrigation project of Shah Nehar had been completed at a cost of Rs.311 Crore, which would cover 15,287 hectare area. Besides, Sidhata Project, costing Rs.66 Crore with coverage of 3,150 hectare of area had also been completed. The Chief Parliamentary Secretary said that the bulk of command area of the State was serviced by minor irrigation schemes and an outlay of Rs.122 Crore had proposed for executing minor irrigation schemes with a target of covering 3,000 hectares during 2014-15. An outlay of Rs.30 crore had been proposed under medium irrigation to accelerate the work on medium irrigation project, Nadaun in district Hamirpur. The State government had also proposed to continue work on Phina Singh medium irrigation project and initiate the work on Koncil to Jharera Mandop Thona medium irrigation project. The government had proposed Rs.25 crore for Command Area Development Works to provide last mile connectivity to the farmer's fields. He said that State Government was ensuring that the people of the State continue to get potable drinking water and farmers get irrigation facilities at affordable cost. The State government had proposed to provide Rs.240 Crore to I&PH department to meet the energy charges of water supply and irrigation Schemes. Shri Jagjivan Pal said that due to consistent efforts of the State Government, Rs.922 crore project had been sanctioned for Swan Channelisation from Daulatpur bridge to Gagret bridge and its tributaries and Rs.180 crore for channelisation of Chhounchh Khad in Tehsil Indora of Kangra district. He said that the proposal to install water ATM's at important tourist destinations was another appreciable decision as it would help in strengthening the basic amenities at important tourist places of the State.