Telangana asks Centre to bear 50 per cent of the cost of drinking water scheme

Telangana government has demanded that Centre should either bear 50 per cent of the cost of the Mission Bhagiratha or at least give funds for the maintenance of the massive drinking water scheme.
Mission Bhagiratha is a scheme for the supply of drinking water to every household in Telangana.
Mission Bhagiratha is a scheme for the supply of drinking water to every household in Telangana.

HYDERABAD: State government has demanded that the Centre should either bear 50 per cent of the cost of the Mission Bhagiratha or at least give funds for the maintenance of the massive drinking water scheme.

Participating in a meeting on drinking waters supply and Swacch Bharat, organised by Gajendra Singh Shikhawat, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, a newly conglomerated Ministry, in Delhi on Tuesday, Panchayat Raj Minister E Dayakar Rao said that Telangana is providing pure and safe drinking water to all the households and there was no water shortage anywhere in the state even during the summer. 

Several Central agencies and officials and Ministers of various states too lauded Mission Bhagiratha scheme of Telangana, Dayakar Rao said.

As the Central government too was planning to provide safe water to all the households by 2024, the Centre should bear 50 per cent of the cost of the Mission Bhagiratha, Dayakar Rao demanded. 

He said that the Mission Bhagiratha was completed by the State government by borrowing money from banks and other financial institutions.

The Centre should help the State to clear the debts, the Minister demanded. At least, the Centre should consider releasing the maintenance cost of the Mission Bhagiratha. 

‘Link NREGS with agriculture’

Later, Dayakar Rao met Union Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in Delhi urged him to link NREGS with agriculture.

Dayakar Rao wanted Tomar to release Rs 175.18 crore under Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan and also funds for repairs for Panchayat buildings. 

He also requested Tomar to release Rs 760 crore for material component of NREGS and urged the Centre to release Rs 119.28 crore performance grant and Rs 135.46 crore grant of 14th Finance Commission.

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