RS. 68.93 CRORE RELEASED FOR RURAL DRINKING WATER TO WEST BENGAL AND NORTHEASTERN STATES

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The Ministry of Rural Development has released Rs. 6893.50 lakh for rural drinking water to North-Eastern States and West Bengal under centrally sponsored Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) of Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission (RGNDWM) for the year 2002-03. Out of this, Rs. 1640.60 lakh to West Bengal, Rs. 137.70 lakh to Sikkim, Rs. 334.60 lakh to Nagaland, Rs. 1145.70 lakh to Arunachal Pradesh, Rs.1935.20 lakh to Assam, Rs. 978.50 lakh to Meghalaya, Rs. 321.90 lakh to Mizoram and Rs. 399.30 lakh to Tripura.

The funds will be utilized for execution/completion of schemes to provide safe drinking water facilities to rural habitations and schools. Priority is to be accorded to cover Partially Covered and water quality affected habitations of these States. The States should meet targets out of the funds released under ARWSP along with their matching grants.

West Bengal has to cover 5850 Partially Covered habitations and 2000 schools in the State during 2002-03. The State has received Rs. 4272.50 lakh so far, under ARWSP, as the first installment this year.

The States have to meet targets as follows during this financial year: -

STATE	Present Release (Rs.in lakh)	Not Covered Habitations	Partially Covered Habitations	Schools	Funds released so far under ARWSP during2002-03 (Rs. in lakh)
Sikkim	137.70		130	50	298.50
Nagaland	334.60	195	50	50	727.00
Arunachal Pradesh	1145.70	327	446	11	2488.50
Assam	1935.20	600	5000	1200	4203.50
Meghalaya	978.50	180	200	70
Mizoram	321.90		180	100	699.00
Tripura	399.30	93	332	200	867.00

Besides, the Ministry also released Rs. 74.45 lakh under RGNDWM for implementation of sector reforms pilot project in the district of Serchhip, Mizoram, as third installment of the Central share Rs.248.172 lakh, during 2002-03. The project is to institutionalise community participation in rural water supply programmes.