AP to take up drinking water projects with Rs 1300 cr WB funds

Hyderabad, Nov 13 (UNI) The World Bank has accorded in principle sanction for giving about Rs 1,300 crore for drinking water projects in Andhra Pradesh, Rural Development Minister D Srinivas said today.

Addressing a press conference here, he dismissed as ''absolutely absurd,'' TRS President K Chandrasekar Rao's charge that the state government had refused to part with 15 per cent of the cost of a drinking water project in Karimnagar for which the Centre had promised to bear the remaining cost.

The former Union Labour Minister when he was a member of the ruling UPA, had failed to persuade the Centre to enhance the allocation for the state under the Accelerated Rural Water Supply (ARWS) scheme and was unnecessarily trying to put the blame on the Andhra Pradesh government, he said.

Asserting that the Congress Government was committed to take all major developmental projects in the state, Mr Srinivas said drinking water projects worth Rs 312.50 crore would be taken up in four phases in Karimnagar district.

The Centre had amply made it clear that it was not in a position to provide any additional amount over and above the state's allocation for ARWS, he said, adding that the TRS should stop putting the blame on the state government.

''For the state government, the entire state is a priority.

Drinking water projects, particularly in those areas facing floride problem will be taken up at any cost,'' he added.

UNI SM PA HT1652