New Indian Express reports on the minister’s statement on this topic in the assembly. Following are some excerpts:

Rural Development Minister Biswabhusan Harichandan announced in the Assembly on Saturday that 1,722 drinking water projects would be taken up in the State during the current financial year.

… the minister said the State Government has written to the Centre to waive the 10 percent contribution of the beneficiaries under the Swajaldhara scheme. …

Observing that the Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) has been a huge success in Orissa, the minister said the State has secured the fifth position in the country in the implementation of the programme.

The Centre had sanctioned Rs 3,342.54 crore between 2000-01 and 2006-07 for construction of 3,723 roads having a length of 12,545.22 km, he said.

Harichandan announced that a target has been fixed for construction of 3,124- km road and upgradation of 2,798-km road under the PMGSY during the 2007-08 financial year.

Expenditure under the schemes funded by the awards of the Twelfth Finance Commission has also been satisfactory, Observing that the total sanitation programme is also a focus area of the government, the minister said Rs 8 crore has been provided in the budget for the programme in 2007-08.

He announced that 12 more divisions of the Rural Development department in addition to the present eight would be opened.