The money sanctioned by the Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is over and above the Rs7,266 crore special package announced by the Centre for the drought-prone region after intense lobbying by Rahul Gandhi.
Government today sanctioned an additional Rs200 crore to address drinking water problems in Bundelkhand region covering parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
The money sanctioned by the Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is over and above the Rs7,266 crore special package announced by the Centre for the drought-prone region after intense lobbying by Rahul Gandhi.
"The additional central assistance will enable the states to address the problem of drinking water better during the summer months," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters.
The package as a whole will enable the people in the region to optimise water resources through rainwater harvesting and proper utilisation of the river systems along with promoting diversified agriculture, she said.
Soni said for implementing the drinking water component, the two state governments will send proposals to the National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA), which will recommend release of this additional central assistance in consultation with the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
The Union Cabinet also approved a few adjustments in implementation of the drought mitigation strategies, which were requested by the two state governments and NRAA.
Madhya Pradesh government has proposed to provide funds for water-lifting devices and construction of stop-dams in place of the earlier approved components of farm ponds and recharge of dugwells.
It has also proposed to provide additional support for the dairy sector and for construction of Singpur Barrage by using a part of funds from the package.
Gandhi had met the Prime Minister in July 2009 and sought a special package of Rs8,000 crore for development of the backward Bundelkhand region.
In November 2009, the Centre had announced a special package of Rs7,266 crore for Bundelkhand which was to be implemented over a period of three years from 2009-10 to 2011-12. Uttar Pradesh's share in the package was Rs3,506 crore and Madhya Pradesh was to receive Rs3,706 crore. The Planning Commission has already approved Rs2,114 crore for the last two financial years to the states of which Rs1,800 crore has already been released.
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