Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh has asked the Orissa government to demand additional funds under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) after utilising the money available with the state administration. In case Orissa utilises the allocated funds within the year,proposal for release of additional funds can be considered at the end of the financial year based on available saving,the capacity of the state to spend more,etc, Ramesh told Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in a letter. On August 14 during a meeting between the chief minister and the union RD minister,the state government had had demanded additional funds under the NRDWP. Stating that opening balance under NRDWP in Orissa as one April 1,2011 was Rs 134.02 crore,Ramesh said Rs 101.32 crore had been released as the first instalment. However,expenditure up to August 31,2011 is only Rs 72.96 crore, Ramesh pointed out. Even the opening balance as on April 1,2011 has not yet been fully utilised, Ramesh told in the letter to Naveen. Therefore,Ramesh suggested the chief minister to instruct the concerned department to expedite utilisation of available funds and send proposal for release of second instalment by November 15,2011 after fulfilling necessary requirements. Replying to a question,Chief secretary B K Patnaik told reporters that the funds under NRDWP would be fully utilised by end of the fiscal.
