NEW DELHI: Just a month before the water crisis and drought hit 33 crore members of the Indian population, several States in a February 3 meeting with the Central government urged more central funds to extend drinking water coverage and repair damaged water supply schemes.
According to the minutes of meeting, Gujarat once ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi rued that the drinking fund allocation of the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) had been reduced by 35 per cent. Tamil Nadu raised the issues of budget cuts under NRDWP and requested funds for desalination plants. However, the Ministry of Drinking Water said there was a decrease in budgetary support as the devolution to the States has increased from 32 per cent to 42 per cent in furtherance of the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission.
Around 100 activists, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have asked for implementation of traditional relief measures and making food security entitlements universal in the drought-affected regions.