Friday, May 9, 2008

Centre to slash Arunachal’s drinking water schemes

Itanagar, May 9 : The Union Government is initiating steps to minimise Arunachal Pradesh’s present 50 per cent share to 10 per cent in the centrally sponsored drinking water supply schemes.

Official sources today said Secretary to the Department of Drinking Water Supply under Union Ministry of Rural Development Shantha Sheela Nair disclosed this to Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu at a meeting in the latter’s office here yesterday. Ms Nair is on a two-day tour to Arunachal for monitoring the drinking water supply and sanitation facilities in this land-locked State. “The State must, however, release its current matching share of 50 per cent to complete the ongoing centrally sponsored drinking water schemes,’’ she added.

The Centre is seeking to make the country hundred per cent hygienic by 2012, she told the Chief Minister and suggested that the state government should offer reward incentives to villages that maintain complete sanitation.

She added that rainwater harvesting in the State would solve water problem to a great extend as the current average annual rainfall in the state was 2,000 mm.
Sources informed that Khandu was of the view that along with introduction of modern techniques, the prevalent traditional system of sanitation, especially as that being carried out in Tawang, should be encouraged in the State.

He has stated that the state government was coming up with plans and programmes to tap the State’s rich natural resources to enable it to become self reliant by 2014.

Assuring judicious utilisation of central fund meant for the development of the state by maintaining complete transparency, Khandu apprised the visiting secretary that the status of the work would be reflected in the State’s website.

UNI

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