The Chhattisgarh Government has distributed a total of Rs 260-crore to all its districts during the last two financial years for implementation of various projects under National Rural Drinking Water Programme, informed in an official statement issued here on Saturday.
The public health department has distributed Rs 146.74-crore for 2012-2013, and Rs 113.28-crore to the districts under the programme. Under the programme the government is setting up hand pumps, tube wells, and spot sources, pipe water supply system and other activities to ensure availability of clean drinking water in the villages.
Besides, the funds are being used to tap the ground water by constructing check dams and percolation tanks in the rural area. Other works like testing of water samples, fluoride removal machine, and supply of water in forest area setting up solar pumps are also being carried out by the department.
Under the programme the funds allocated to different districts so far this fiscal year include Rajnandgaon-Rs 13 crore, Bastar-Rs 9-crore, Jashpur- Rs 9.76-crore, kaner-Rs 8-crore, Kabirdham-Rs 6.81-crore and Raigarh- Rs 4.54-crore.
The Central Government had allocated Rs 148.64-crore in 2012-2013.The State Government has received Rs 119.81-crore in 2013-2014. The Central Government launched the National Rural Drinking Water Programme in April 2009 for assisting states in providing drinking water to the rural population of India.
This programme emphasizes on water supply systems which are planned and managed by the community at the village level, for ensuring sustainable drinking water availability, convenient delivery systems and achieving water security at the household level.