Itanagar: Union Water Resource Minister Uma Bharati has assured all possible help to Arunachal Pradesh from her ministry.
After an hour long meeting with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, state ministers and senior government officials, Bharati said that the state was marching ahead on right track and her Ministry would extend all possible assistance whenever sought for, according to a official communique released by the state government.
Tuki while briefing the Union minister said that the state government has been putting lot of effort in maximising the green cover by providing alternatives to the farmers to wean away the traditional dependence on forest, the communique said.
Irrigation is one major alternative through which farmers would be localized at a permanent agricultural land with assured irrigation facilities, he said and requested Bharati to consider for Central grant under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme to the tune of Rs 200 crore to the state for the year 2015-16.
The chief minister further requested the Union minister to reconsider the funding pattern on Command Area Development and Water Management programme to 90:10 from the existing 50:50 ratio of state and central share.
He reasoned that Arunachal Pradesh has unique topography as compared to the plain states of India and the investment cost per hectare for Command Area Development and Water Management programme is much higher than that of other states.
Tuki requested the ministry of Water Resource to launch a special central programme to exploit Ground Water which could substantially meet up the drinking and irrigation requirement of the people.
He disclosed that the State is ready with construction of 10,700 wells at the foot hill belt.
Tuki also requested to allocate enough central grants under Flood Management Prog for which 23 basin-wise DPRs amounting to Rs 574.86 crore have already been submitted to the ministry. (PTI)
