RURAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDS RELEASED TO BIHAR, CHHATTISGARH AND JHARKHAND
The Ministry of Rural Development
has released Rs. 3703 lakh for rural drinking water as first installment
under Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) of Rajiv
Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission (RGNDWM) during 2002-03.
The center has allocated Rs. 7406 lakh to Bihar for the programme
during current financial year. As per the targets the State has
to cover 686 schools during the year.
The Ministry has released Rs. 316.05
lakh under Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yozana (SGRY) to two districts
of Bihar during this year. The districts are: Jamui (Rs. 214.95
lakh) and Siwan (Rs.101.10). In addition, the Ministry has also
released foodgrains of Rs. 478.54 lakh at the economic cost of
rice, i.e Rs. 11.80 per Kg.
Besides, under Drought Prone
Areas Programme (DPAP) during this year Jamui district of Bihar
gets Rs. 47.25 lakh for planning and development of 14 watershed
projects. So far, center has released Rs. 84.50 lakh to the district
under this programme.
Chhattisgarh gets Rs. 1202.88
lakh as central share of assistance to five districts, under Integrated
Wasteland Development Programme (Employment Assurance Scheme –
Watershed Component). The districts that get funds are Bastar
(Rs. 398.80 lakh), Jaspur (Rs. 238.04 lakh), Kawardha (Rs. 308.98
lakh), Mahasumund (Rs. 102.98 lakh) and Rajnandagaon (Rs. 154.08
lakh). These funds are meant for ongoing Watershed projects taken
up prior April 1, 1999.
The Ministry has also released
Rs. 1531.50 lakh to Jharkhand for rural drinking water under ARWSP
of RGNDWM during 2002-03. This first installment is against total
allocation of Rs. 3063 lakh to the State. Jharkhand government
during this year as per the targets, with its matching grants
to the programme, has to cover 200 Not Covered, 100 Partially
Covered habitations and 500 schools. Besides, the State also gets
Rs. 34.74 lakh for implementation of Information, Education and
Communication (IEC) activities in four districts of the state
during 2002-03.