Punjab failed to use money for rural toilets, says Ramesh

Saturday, 07/07/2012

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120707/punjab.htm#2

Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh today said Punjab could utilise only Rs 29 crore of the Rs 151 crore earmarked for the state to build rural toilets in the past 10 years. Clearly indicating that this was a case of mismanagement, Ramesh said instead of blaming someone else (read Centre), the state should introspect on its track record.

Ramesh said the Centre would go in for a third-party evaluation of the toilets constructed in the state for which financial assistance had been raised from Rs 3,500 to Rs 10,000 for each toilet.

The minister said this was important in order to ensure the scheme was implemented in the right spirit as there were reports that toilets were not being used and that many remained locked or were used for storing foodgrain or other necessities. “Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan needs political leadership to make it a success”, he emphasised.

Ramesh, who claimed he was often criticised by his colleagues for giving too much to Punjab, said the state had been given liberal financial assistance by his ministry, including that for drinking water in rural areas. He said the state was given Rs 88 crore under this head in 2011-12 and would be given Rs 103 crore in 2012-13.

The Union Minister said he had acted upon all promises made during his last visit to the state on May 12-13. An amount of Rs 7.50 crore had been approved for an all-weather bridge at Mohar Jamsher village in Ferozepur district, which was surrounded by a barbed wire on three sides on the international border with Pakistan.

He said he had forwarded Punjab’s case for assessment of waterlogged areas and a Planning Commission team had already visited the state in this regard. Ramesh said 1,700 km of rural roads would be upgraded and a special scheme was on the cards for allocating more funds for rural roads in the state’s six border districts.

Ramesh said he had no intention of contesting the next Lok Sabha election from Punjab. “Main Gujral Sahib ka rasta nahin apna raha hoon”, he said in a lighter vein when asked about the ‘largesse’ extended to the state by his ministry.

• Centre to go in for third-party evaluation of toilets constructed in the state
• Union Minister says many toilets remained locked or were used for storing foodgrain
• He says he had acted upon all promises made during his last visit to the state on May 12-13
• An amount of Rs 7.50 crore had been approved for an all-weather bridge at Mohar Jamsher village in Ferozepur
• He had forwarded Punjab’s case for assessment of waterlogged areas and a Planning Commission team had already visited the state in this regard