Centre asked NE states to monitor drinking water programme

Agartala, Nov 12 (UNI) Ministry of Rural Development has asked Northeastern states to keep a close watch on Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Programme (RDWSP) to ensure successful implementation of the project.

In a recent letter to the states, the ministry asked the state officials to visit the rural areas of their respective states on random selection basis especially Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) and drinking water supply.

After reviewing the status of the programme in the region with the secretaries in-charge of RDWSP last week, the ministry issued note emphasising the need of tightening and sensitising the machinery at local level.

It also suggested for involving NGOs in the process to accelerate the growth of development keeping in mind that the United Nations had declared the 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation." It was the need of hour that concerted efforts for millennium goal target under TSC be made in perfection," the letter added.

The other issues taken up in the meeting were related with the implementation of Accelerated Rural Water Supply Scheme (ARWSP) during the 11th Plan and Online Data Entry and Updating of Integrated Management Information System (IMIS), progress and review of Sub-Mission Projects to avoid surrender of funds, revision of targets for tackling of quality affected habitations and NRDWMS programmes, Swajaldhara Programme and Bharat Nirman, sources added.

UNI