Madam Speaker, I am informed by the Land Drainage Authority that Constituency No. 13, Rivière des Anguilles and Souillac, covers an extent of some 150 km of drain network, out of which some 69 km fall under the purview of the District Council of Savanne and about 36 km under the purview of the Road Development Authority for cleaning and maintenance. Madam Speaker, I am further informed for the financial year 2023-2024, funding allocated to the District Council of Savanne for cleaning of drains and disilting of rivers was as follows – • Rs2.5 m. allocated for cleaning of drains; • Rs28 m. for disilting of rivers, and • Rs6.7 m. for cleaning of drains post Cyclone Belal. Madam Speaker, a maintenance plan was submitted by the LDA to the District Council of Savanne on 29 July 2024. As at date, 19 km of drains, out of the 69 km, have been cleaned, and desilting works along 11 km river watercourses have been carried out by the Savanne District Council. With your permission, Madam Speaker, I am tabling a copy of the maintenance plan. Madam Speaker, the RDA, on its part, has already cleaned some 7.5 km of drains, and around 800 metres are left to be cleaned as per its programme for the current financial year. The total amount spent by the District Council and the RDA since January 2020 to date for cleaning of drains and desilting of rivers in Constituency No. 13 is to the tune of some Rs24 m. Madam Speaker, I wish to inform the House that together with my colleague, the Minister of Local Government, and the Junior Minister of Local Government, I chaired a meeting with representatives of all the local authorities and other implementing agencies on 05 December 2024 to take stock of the cleaning and desilting of canals, rivers and drains undertaken so far. These agencies have been pressed upon to give due attention to complete the remaining works in view of the ongoing rainy season. Thank you.

Thank you. Yes!

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Madam Speaker, can the hon. Minister inform the House whether he is happy with the way the works have been done since billions of the public money have been drained in the drains by the previous government? Thank you.

Madam Speaker, as I said, we are never satisfied. Obviously, we spend a lot of money on drain projects, but follow-up for the cleaning of drains, I must tell you, is not done properly. What is the use of constructing drains when afterwards, there is no cleaning of the drains? So, now, we will ensure that proper cleaning of the drains is carried out regularly. Thank you.

Thank you, hon. Minister. Hon. Third Member for Quartier Militaire and Moka! CITÉ MYOSOTIS, ST PIERRE – PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE – RECONSTRUCTION