Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Friday urged the Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu to give directions for construction of a subway between Ghanauli and Bari rail stations on Sirhind-Nangal Dam section to mitigate the hardships faced by the locals.
The level crossing No 55-C at Kharota village on NH-205 to Bharatgarh-Kharota link road had been closed by the Railways, the Chief Minister wrote in a letter to Prabhu, while urging him that a limited height subway be constructed in its place.
Because of the closed level crossing, people belonging to Majri, Awankot, Alowal, Himmatpur, Kimatpur and Kharota villages were facing hardships as they have to travel a long distances to reach the nearest market centre at Bharatgarh town, Badal said.
He said that the people were facing problem regarding transportation of crops and availing health and education facilities. “They have to travel a long distance even for availing bus service to reach Tehsil and District Headquarters,” said Badal in his letter.
In another letter to Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation Chaudhary Birender Singh, Badal sought the direct intervention of for not changing the funding pattern for the construction of individual household toilets (IHHls) under Swachchh Bharat Mission (SBM).
In his letter, he apprised Birender that the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, vide its letter dated November 10, intimated about the revision in funding pattern in respect of Swachchh Bharat Mission (Gramin) components.
The funding pattern has been revised as 60:40 against the existing funding pattern of 75: 25 between the Centre and the State for works under the Mission.
He said that with revised funding pattern of 60:40 between Centre and States, the central share has slashed to
`7200 per IHHl, meaning thereby that state’s share would now increase to `7800 per IHHl, that is an additional load of `1800 per toilet or `23.40 crore for 1.30 lakh toilets to be constructed during the current year.
“No additional budget is possible for disbursement for this component during the current financial year. Moreover, for timely completion of this ambitious program, it is strongly felt that the funding pattern for the construction of individual household toilets (IHHls) under SBM (G) should not be changed,” he requested.