Central assurance to Arunachal on sanitary and safe water
Itanagar: Union Rural Development Minister Nitin Gadkari has assured Arunachal Pradesh on implementation of the ‘Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’ to cover sanitary and safe water for all by 2019. Gadkari’s assurance came during a discussion on National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) and Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan and the review of achievement under 100 days target held at New Delhi on Monday, an official release informed here today. Arunachal Pradesh PHED & WS Ministry Takam Pario along with department’s chief engineers Lupalum Kri and Tomo Basar attended the meeting. Gadkari dwelt on the ways and means to achieve the target by 2019 and the target of covering all schools with toilets by August 15 next, as announced by the Prime minister while underlining the need to be more transparent and accountable in implementation of the programmes, the release said. Pario, in his deliberation drew the attention of the ministry towards various constraints faced by Arunachal in terms of its remoteness, difficult terrains, communication bottlenecks and climatic conditions. He also informed on the large number of rural habitations still partially covered and uncovered with potable water supply in the state, the release informed. (PTI)
Mizoram put on high alert to face Ebola
Aizawl: The Mizoram governemnt on Tuesday placed the state health services department on high alert for any eventuality of Ebola break out in the state. An official statement released here said programme officers of the state health services department met here today to review the preparedness to face the dreaded disease even as no infection has yet been detected in the country. Dr Pachuau Lalmalsawma, Nodal Officer, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, told PTI that though passengers coming to India, especially from infected countries, were carefully screened at International Airports, there was no screening at the lone Lengpui airport near Aizawl. “We are yet to receive any instruction from the Union Health Ministry and the Ministry of External Affairs,” Lalmalsawma said, adding that efforts made at the international airports were regarded as sufficient by the Centre. (PTI)
Over 23 pc Plan fund unutilised since 2001-02 in Assam
Guwahati: More than 23 per cent of the Rs 56,548.38 crore Plan fund allocated to Assam over a span of 12 years since 2001-02 remained unutilised, the state Assembly was informed Tuesday. In a written reply to a query by AGP MLA Prafulla Kumar Mahanata, Planning and Development Minister Tanka Bahadur Rai said the state has been allocated a total of Rs 69,048.38 crore from 2001-02 to 2013-14, including Rs 12,500 crore for the last fiscal. Out of the said amount, the state spent a total of Rs 43,455.6 crore between FY’02 and FY’13, thus Rs 13,092.78 crore remained untilised in 12 years, he added. The expenditure and other details for 2013-14 would be available after September this year, he said. The Minister said the Non-Plan allocation for 13 years since 2001-02 financial year stood at Rs 2,55,251.32 crore, including Rs 32,160.98 crore in 2013-14. Out of this, Rs 1,37,093.29 have been spent in the first 12 years, he added. Majhi informed the House that Rs 85,997.05 crore, which is 38.55 per cent of the total Non-Plan amount, remained unutilised between 2001-02 and 2012-13. (PTI)
Over 46,000 bighas of agricultural land transformed in Assam
Guwahati: Over 46,000 bighas of agricultural land have been transformed into non-agricultural category across Assam in the last 13 years, the state Assembly was informed Tuesday. In a written reply to a query by AGP MLA Padma Hazarika during the ongoing Budget session, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Prithibi Majhi said a total of more than 46,159 bighas of agricultural land in 16 districts have been reclassified since 2001. The Minister, however, did not give any reason why such a huge portion of land has been transformed for non-agricultural purpose in the state. The 16 districts are Nalbari, Cachar, Tinsukia, Lakhimpur, Barpeta, Hailakandi, Dhubri, Morigaon, Sonitpur, Nagaon, Jorhat, Karimganj, Kamrup, Kamrup Metro, Goalpara and Bongaigaon, Majhi said. Out of these, Cachar accounts for largest parcel of transformed land with 12,731 bighas of agricultural land being already reclassified, he added. On the other hand, with 113 bighas of reclassified agricultural land, Goalpara stands at the bottom of the chart. In a separate question by AGP MLA Naba Kumar Doley, Majhi said a committee headed by Congress MLA Bhumidhar Barman has submitted the draft of the new Land Policy for the state. “Necessary arrangements are being done to officially accept the new Land Policy,” the Minister said. (PTI)