Rs 4.62 cr for drinking water facilities to primitive tribes

Bhopal: Funds to the tune of Rs four crore 62 lakh will be made available under Conservation-cum-Development Scheme for providing drinking water facility in the areas predominant by Saharia and Baiga primitive tribes during the year 2008-09. The state government has instructed the concerning Agencies that the work of selection of places, where hand pumps or wells are to be dug, through the Gram Sabha.

As per instructions issued by Commissioner Tribal Development Jaideep Govind, Rs three crore 49 lakh 50 thousand will be provided for sinking 466 hand pumps at the rate of Rs 75 thousand per hand pump in Saharia predominant areas. A target has been set for digging 150 wells in the areas predominant by Baiga predominant areas. For this purpose a budged of Rs one crore 12 lakh 50 thousand is being released to Baiga Development Agency. Each well will cost Rs 75 thousand.

It may be mentioned that during the year 2007-08, funds to the tune of Rs once crore five lakh were provided for ensuring drinking water facilities in areas predominant by Saharia and Baiga primitive tribes. Out of these funds, Rs 15 lakh were allocated for sinking 30 hand pumps in Saharia areas and Rs 90 lakh for digging 150 wells in Baiga areas. The state government has also issued instructions for making the progress reports of the fund utilisation within a week.

Source: Central Chronicle