Jharsuguda: Twenty-two blocks in five mineral rich districts will soon see their drinking water problem solved as the government has drawn up a project blueprint for this at an estimated cost of Rs 3,337.70 crore.
The mega project will come up soon to end the drinking water problems that the people of Sundargarh, Angul, Keonjhar, Jharsuguda and Jajpur districts have been facing. The lion’s share of the cost would come from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) of the districts.
The engineer-in-chief, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation, has already requested in a letter dated September 28 to the Collectors concerned to raise Rs 3014.30 crore by sanctioning funds from their DMFs, it was learnt.
As per estimation, out of the total cost, Rs 3014.30 crore will be raised from the DMFs of the five districts, and the balance Rs 323.40 crore will come from the Odisha Mineral Bearing Area Development Corporation (OMBADC).
A total of Rs 1379.07 crore is estimated to be needed for Lathikata, Bisra, Bonei, Lephripara, Tangarpali, Sadar, Balishankara, Subdega and Bargaon blocks of Sundargarh districts.
Likewise, the government plans to spend Rs 450.05 crore from DMF and Rs 189.14 crore from OMBADC in Palalahara, Banarpal and Angul blocks of Angul district.
Similarly, it has been decided to allot Rs 671.09 crore from DMF for Telkoi, Patna, Saharpada, Ghasipura and Anandapur blocks of Keonjhar district.
The authorities have estimated that Rs 391.31 crore would be needed for Laikera, Kolabira, Kirmira and Jharsuguda blocks of Jharsuguda district. Of this Rs 150 crore will come from DMF and Rs 241.31 crore from OMBADC.
The Dangadi block of Jajpur district will need Rs 150 crore, and this will come from the DMF, it was learnt.
PNN