The Punjab government has approved the expansion of an initiative aimed at providing uninterrupted access to clean drinking water and improved sanitation facilities in underserved villages across the province.

The decision approved under the Punjab Rural Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Project (PRSWSSP) will extend the project’s coverage to additional areas within the existing funding framework, officials said. Under the expanded plan, new villages will be included for the installation and rehabilitation of water supply and drainage infrastructure, including tube wells, filtration plants and sewerage systems. Authorities say the initiative is intended to tackle long-standing deficiencies in rural sanitation, groundwater contamination and limited access to safe drinking water – problems that continue to affect millions across Punjab’s countryside.

Officials described the expansion as part of a push to improve basic public services and reduce waterborne diseases in rural communities.

“The objective is to ensure equitable and sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities in rural Punjab,” an official said.