Modify PMKSY norms for hill areas: U’khand CM to Centre

Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Friday urged the Centre to modify or relax the norms for hill areas under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, an official release said. Taking up the issue with Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in New Delhi, Rawat said the cost limit for construction of water canals for hill areas should be increased from Rs 2.50 lakh per hectare at present to Rs 3.50 lakh per hectare as building canals in hilly terrain costs more, it said. He said the guidelines of the scheme for hill areas should either be modified or relaxed as their geographical conditions are different. The investment costs for drinking water projects in hilly areas are also higher because of the uneven terrain and scattered population, Rawat said. Pointing out that collecting 5 per cent of the costs of the projects from the community becomes difficult in such projects, Rawat asked the minister to do away with the precondition in case of hilly areas. (PTI)