5 Sep :Union Minister for Rural Development Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh has stressed upon a five pronged strategy for the flood affected people of the State of Bihar.ddressing a press conference here today Dr. Singh said well chalked rescue and relief operations, rehabilitation and reconstruction measures and reconstruction of embankments of rivers in the State
, especially on the river Kosi are the need of the hour. Adequate funds will be provided by the Ministry of Rural Development under various flagship programmes as his Ministry is committed to provide full assistance to the flood affected people of the State of Bihar, the Minister added.
All the employees of the Ministry of Rural Development have decided to contribute one day salary towards the flood relief fund. Accordingly, the Ministry of Rural Devleopment has decided to provide Rs.1600 crores under allocation based programmes being implemented by the Ministry. Ministry has assured the State Government to provide full assistance in NREGA as per its demand. Ministry has also modified certain guidelines of various programmes to facilitate assistance to the flood affected population. Details thereof are as follows:
Drinking Water Supply & Sanitation
Ministry has decided to release Rs.25 crores out of ARWSP natural calamities component to provide drinking water facility in the flood affected areas. Rs.212 crores has also been released as advance against the second installment of the ARWSP, thus Rs.237 crores is being released for providing drinking water supply. Relaxation has also been agreed for utilization of available funds to meet the need for flood relief.
Ministry has also modified the guidelines of Total Sanitation Campaign to facilitate construction of temporary latrines for the convenience of displaced population. Five per cent allocation available with the districts have been allowed to be utilised for construction of temporary toilets at the temporary locations. This amount would be over Rs.10 crores.
NREGA
With a view to facilitate provision of employment opportunities to the displaced population, schedule 2 of the NREGA has now been modified. It has now been provided that employment opportunities shall be provided to the displaced persons in the area where they are temporarily located. Modifications in schedule 2 to this effect have already been issued. Earlier provision provided for employment within the Gram Panchayat or upto a maximum of 5 km. but not beyond the block.
State Government has been advised to take up following works on priority in the flood affected area for rebuilding the infrastructure and to improve the productivity of land :
i) Construction of high raised platform (10 ft high, 100X 100 length and breadth) that will offer temporary shelter in flood affected areas. ii) Channel works in water logged areas for water drainage.
iii) Renovation of traditional water bodies including desilting of tanks.
iv) Land development including removal of sludge/sand.
v) NREGA also permits maintenance of works undertaken under NREGA or any other scheme if they fall within the category of permissible works under Schedule I para 1.
Rural Roads
With a view to rebuild the damaged roads, Ministry has conveyed its concurrence for taking up 2000 km of rural thorough routes under its Bharat Nirman component. The cost for constructing 2000 km road would be around Rs.800 crores. This would be over and above the normal funding under PMGSY. State has been asked to prepare and submit DPRs to ensure that all the rural thorough roads are rebuilt under PMGSY on top priority. State has also been advised to promote construction of cement concrete roads in the flood affected areas.
Housing
Under Indira Awas Yojana, Rs.150 crores have been provided over and above the normal allocation for construction of 58000 houses in the flood affected areas. The 2nd installment of Rs.390 crores crores have also been released as advance to facilitate immediate construction of houses in the flood affected areas by relaxing the guidelines. Thus a sum of Rs.540 crores is being provided for construction of houses for the flood affected areas.
SGSY
Rs.46 crores have been released as advance of the 1st installment to the flood affected 12 districts by relaxing guidelines to facilitate the implementation of programmes
Involvement of NGOs
CAPART has initiated action for providing drinking water and sanitation to the flood affected population by implementing projects through NGOs. CAPART has also taken lead to organize and coordinate with the NGOs for mobilizing the distribution of the relief in the affected areas.