Shimla, Dec 18 (IANS): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for a scheme that would augment water supply to the state capital.

The stone was laid at Chaba in Suni area and would be completed with an outlay of Rs 69 crore by April 2019, a government spokesperson told IANS. It would provide 10 million litres per day (MLD) of additional water to Shimla town.

The Chief Minister said the scheme would largely solve the water shortage of Shimla area.

The city is witnessing an acute water shortage every year during the peak summer season.

Last summer, Shimla for the first time in its history saw an unprecedented water crisis resulting in widespread protests and even marches to the Chief Minister's residence at midnight.

Thakur said the state was spending Rs 275 crore on drinking water schemes in the state in this fiscal. He said about 90 per cent of households in the state were being provided water against the national average of 43.5 per cent.

He said the state has received in principle approval from the central government for a Rs 4,751-crore water harvesting project for Shimla town.

He said Sunni and Tattapani areas have immense potential for water sports.

Efforts would be made for the development of Suni-Tattapani-Karsog-Jhanjheli-Shikari Mata as a tourist circuit.