This will be in addition to the four tubewells and six boosters which, according to the officials of the administration, are likely to be commissioned by the end of next month.

The drilling work is already complete for these tubewells to be energised by June-end and the villages include are Dhanas, Palsora, Khuda Lahora and Maloya, while the boosters will be installed in Kajheri, Daria, Hallomajra, Dhanas, Palsora and Khuda Lahora.

Also, additional distribution lines will be laid in Khuda Alisher, Maloya and Dadumajra apart from the above villages. The drilling for six other tubewells which have been identified in Sarangpur, Daddumajra, Makhanmajra, Daria, Kishangarh and Kajheri will begin immediately after they are formally approved.

It is for the first time that the rural water supply has been accorded priority in the Ninth Five Year Plan. While for 1997-1998, Rs 59 lakhs were allocated for rural water supply, it has been raised to Rs one crore for the current year. "This is because the administration is giving top priority to augment the water-supply system in the villages," said an official. The officials, however, say they will require about Rs 1.5 crore for the proposed plan during the current financial year, which also includes changing the sizes of the distribution lines. It may be recalled that many UT villages have been facing acute water shortage problem. The officials said that with the commissioning of the proposed tubewells, their minimum requirement of 25 gallons water per head per day would be met. The officials added that boosters would help cater to the low-pressure problem which has arisen because of the multi-storeyed buildings that have come up in the villages.

Out of 22 villages in the Union Territory, the administration looks after 18, while the remaining four fall in the City master plan and as such are taken care of by the Municipal Corporation.