New Delhi: The Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha said that in order to utilize the reach of PACS in rural areas, on the initiative of the Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Jal Shakti has made PACS as eligible agencies to carry out the Operations & Maintenance (O&M) of Piped Water Supply (PWS) in rural areas. States/ UTs have been requested to incorporate suitable provisions in their O&M Policy to engage PACS as O&M agencies for the rural PWS.
Also, the willing PACS are encouraged and provided support including their capacity building and skilling by the States/ Union Territories (UTs). As per information received from States/ UTs, 1,381 PACS have been identified by 12 States/ UTs to provide O&M services at Panchayat/ Village level. This initiative will not only enhance the income of PACS and create employment opportunities in rural areas, but will also provide a robust mechanism for operation of water supply in rural areas.