AGARTALA, May 13 (TIWN): As the pre-monsoon hit the state, the water scarcity in rural areas has been come down substantially, said DWS Minister Ratan Bhowmik. Speaking to media at Civil Secretariat here today, he informed drinking water was supplied to 338 habitations in 127 Gram Panchayats and Village Committees in 29 RD blocks till May 08.

The number of habitation scale down to 254 habitations in 101 Gram Panchayats and Village Committees according to the latest reports compiled by the DWS department.

Bhowmik admitted that it was the shower over the past few days, which has scaled down the water scarcity in the rural and hilly areas.

However, the department is fully ready to supply water to uncovered habitations by water tankers. The District and Block administration were asked to keep ready to meet any eventuality.

According to Met, the state is likely to witness normal pre-monsoon and monsoon during this season brining cheers among farmers.   

A total of 138 localities have been marked uncovered by drinking water supply network last year. Around eighty are still lying uncovered till date. The Department is working with a target to cover all these localities with steady drinking water source by May this year, the minister stated.