Orissa to launch ''Jaldhara'' for safe drinking water

Bhubaneswar, Aug 2 (UNI) The Orissa government today announced it would launch a new scheme next year to provide safe drinking water to villages.

The scheme, christened ''Jaladhara'', aimed at providing drinking water to one thousand villages.

The decision was taken at a high level meeting, convened here to review the water supply scheme in the state, presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

In the first phase, the scheme will cover the villages where the saline and fluoride content in water is very high. The scheme will cover at least one village in every block, sources said.

To achieve the objective, the government had decided to open one new division at Deogarah and fill up all the 55 posts of Junior Engineers lying vacant since long.

Among others the Finance Minister, the Energy Minister, the Panchayat Raj Minister and the Rural Development Minister were present at the meeting.

UNI