Dimapur, July 4 (MExN): The Center has allocated Nagaland state Rs. 21.26 Crore under the Bharat Nirman rural drinking water supply programme. The Center today released a total of Rs. 3, 292. 65 Crore to all the 28 states with Rajasthan state receiving the biggest amount, Rs. 503 Crore. The programme allocation worth a total of Rs. 3, 300 Crore is for 2008-2009 and activated under the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. To maintain the tempo, the ministry said, and ensure that implementation of water supply work does not suffer for want of funds during 2008-09, allocation for rural drinking water has been enhanced to Rs. 7,300 crore and about Rs. 3,300 has been released in the first quarter of the financial year. Now, none of the states are short of funds for implementing the rural water supply programme. The ministry has been very proactive and part of the 1st installment in 2008-09 under Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme was released in the first week of April itself. The department is ensuring that there is no paucity of funds and momentum gained in implementation of rural water supply programme under Bharat Nirman is further accelerated to not only achieve the ambitious target but also to achieve long-term sustainability so that village people get safe water on sustainable basis, the ministry said. Union Rural Development Minister Dr. Raghuvans Prasad Singh urged the department to ‘simplify’ the procedure for releasing funds and rather, give more freedom to the states so that precious time is saved and the same is used in appraisal of the projects and effective monitoring. The department has an online monitoring system and physical and financial progress is monitored online. The Minister for Rural Development is also taking a monthly review meeting of the states’ nodal officers for online monitoring to bring transparency as well as to facilitate wider dissemination of information. The department is emphasizing that states transfer the funds to implementing agencies within 15 days of the sanction, so that implementation can be expedited.
(Courtesy: Morung Express)
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