Vote on Account 2014: Bugetary allocation for Sanitation Ministry unchanged

NEW DELHI: Drinking Water and Sanitation Ministry, which implements government's ambitious programme to eradicate the menace of open defecation, has got an allocation of Rs 15,260 crore in the interim budget presented by Finance Minister P Chidambaram today.

Chidambaram had allocated same amount to the Ministry in his last year's budget.

In the interim budget, a provision of Rs 11000 crore has been made for National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) and rural water supply sector, including Rs 1100 crore for northeastern region and Sikkim.

Further, 22 per cent of the total allocation --Rs 2420 crore-- and 10 per cent amounting to Rs 1100 crore is earmarked for meeting expenditure on Scheduled Castes sub-plan and tribal sub-plan respectively for the year 2014-15.

The budget paper says the government continues to give utmost importance to supplementing the efforts of state governments to provide sanitation facilities to rural masses.

A provision of Rs 4260 crore has been made for Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, including Rs 426 crore for north-eastern region and Sikkim. 22 per cent of the allocation--Rs 938 crore--is earmarked for meeting expenditure on Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan respectively for the year 2014-15.