Central grants to Orissa under Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission

June 08: The sustainable and high level of economic growth has also intensified the process of providing better health and social services. Rural water supply and sanitation comes under the state and the centre only provides financial and technical support to the state governments under the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP).

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Under ARWSP scheme almost 97 per cent rural areas have been covered by installing hand pumps and water connection through piped. It is now in operation through Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission (RGNDWM).

The Ministry of Rural Development has sanctioned an amount of Rs 56.28 crore to the State Government of Orissa, as per the balance of installation next to the total allocated Rs 168.85 crore for the year 2007-2008.

Earlier on 10 th of April this year, the central government had sanctioned an estimated amount of Rs 2.99 crore to Orissa for monitoring the quality of water and surveillance programmes. But the current sanctioned money will be spent in operation, maintenance and other sustainable measures. Focus will also be in providing safe drinking water to rural habitations with more than 100 population and schools.

The Central government has considerably increased the allocation amount from Rs. 2900 crore of 2004-05 to 6,000 crore for the 2007-08. Drinking water supply is one of the six prime elements in the Bharat Nirman programme, to build rural infrastructure.

Keeping in mind the effective implementation states have been requested to bring the management of Rural Water Supply Scheme to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI). As PRI has been so far able to effectively manage the poverty alleviation and other social sector programmes the inclusion of RWS seems a good idea. But government again has to keep the fun allocation separate as PRIs get their own fund from centre through constitutional mandate.