REVIEW MEETING WITH ELEVEN DROUGHT AFFECTED STATES ON RURAL DRINKING WATER

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Secretary Rural Drinking Water Supply Shri P. Mohandas took a review meeting here today with the representatives of eleven drought affected states. These drought affected states are Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. Representatives from all these States except Karnataka attended the meeting today.

Secretary requested to all these states to come out with a definite action plan with milestones to combat the drought problem related to rural drinking water supply sector. States have been asked to send a weekly report which should contain the details on requirement of funds, number of rural habitations facing drinking water crisis and alternative methods for transportation of drinking water in rural areas. The Department of Rural Drinking Water will closely monitor the weekly report submitted by the State Governments on rural drinking water so that necessary action may be taken.

In order to solve the drinking water problem in the areas affected by drought and other natural calamities, it has been decided that with effect from 1.4.2002, 5% of the funds under Accelerated Rural Water Supply programme (ARWSP) will be earmarked every year for mitigating contingency arising due to natural calamities and emergent situation during Tenth Plan.