Bihar requests centre for help in rural projects

New Delhi, Sep 25 (UNI) Bihar Public Health Engineering Department Minister Dr Prem Kumar called on the Union Minister for Rural Development Raghuvansh Prasad Singh here today and discussed various developmental issues, particularly drinking water issues related to the State.

Dr Kumar in the meeting pleaded for relaxing the provision of 10 per cent beneficiary's contribution. According to him, the people in the area were not responding to these contributions due to which programme implementation is affected. The programe was revised in March this year. Dr Kumar also demanded that before the initiation of revised guidelines in March, the central contribution of Rs 30.98 crores for three sanctioned projects be released.

He said under ''Swajaldhara'' programme in 2005-06, the Government has yet not released amount for eight districts of -- Jahanabad, Nalanda, Arwal, Saharsa, Lakhisarai, Madhepura and Khagaria.

Dr Kumar requested that the amount should be released directly to the account of District Water and sanitation committee or Bihar state Water and sanitation Mission for its early implementation.

He further demanded that under Total sanitation Campaign the Central Government in the year 2005-06 released funds to all the districts except Shekhpura and Madhepura.

Mr Singh assured Dr Kumar that he would look into al the problem areas raised by him and would extend help for their speedy implementaton.

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