Rs 1040 crore allocated for providing quality water in villages

New Delhi, May 4 (UNI) With a view to tacklling the problem of water quality in various parts of the country, the Centre has allocated Rs 1040 crore during 2006-07 to provide potable water in 19500 habitations across the country.

The government would deal with the issue in the affected areas on the basis of a survey that highlighted the seriousness of the quality problem, particularly, arsenic and fluoride presence in water.

The government has decided to allocate Rs 1040 crore by giving 35 per cent weightage to arsenic, 35 per cent to fluoride, 15 per cent to brackishness, 5 per cent to Iron each Nitrate and multiple quality problems.

Accordingly, 27 quality-affected states have been provided with funds during 2005-06, the highest amount of Rs 206.63 crore to the government of Rajasthan followed by West Bengal with Rs 142 crore and Karnataka with Rs 125.36 crore.

The Centre has asked the States to prepare the plans and the get them approved by the state-level approval Committee. It has also been advised that the states may also seek more funds from various other sources keeping in view their requirements.

States have also been asked to send additional demands, if any, against the sanctioned project so as to tackle the water quality problem within the next three years.

The government has asked the states to ensure that in the next three years, that is, up to the Bharat Nirman period, all the water quality affected habitations must be provided with potable water.

UNI AJ AK KP1826