Jharkhand to rope in public-private sectors for water projects

Ranchi, Jan 30 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister ArjunMunda today said public and private sectors would be roped into help utilise water of several underground mines in the faceof two years of severe drought.

"Efforts were being made to bring public and privatesectors to help utilise water from mineral areas as watermanagement has become a major challenge before the governmentfollowing severe back-to-back drought years," Munda said onthe second day of the two-day BJP''s state executive meetinghere.

Gallons of water is available in several undergroundcoal mines but could not be utilised so far, he said.

Stating that drought had left the state with seriouswater problem, Munda said the newly set up Jharkhand FoodCorporation (JFC) was allocated Rs 94 crore to store foodgrains as part of the government''s effort to provide foodsecurity to BPL families.

"A total of 7,500 women self-help groups have beenlinked with JFC while 5000 fairprice shops are being allottedto them," he said.

A special stock of ten quintal of rice was stored inevery panchayat, godowns with a capacity to store 1000 tonnefood grains in every district and 250 tonne capacity grainstore house in every block were built.

Admitting that the state''s target of electrifying allthe 32,615 villages could not be accomplished, Munda said thegovernment had initiated steps to increase engery requirementon public-private-partnership basis to generate 12,000 MW by2014.

About 6000 villages were electrified till 2009,according to an official document.

Expressing concerns over a large part of the state''spopulation facing malnutrition and unemployment resulting inmigration, Munda suggested that the state and the Centreshould launch a concerted campaign to address all theseproblems.