Budget up by 11 and 19 percent for water and environment ministries respectively

In the union budget this year, the government has raised 11 percent allocation for the water resources ministry. Along with this, the allocation for the environment ministry has also been raised by 19 percent this year. Also, as against the allocation of Rs 2,150 crore last year, Rs 2,250 crore have been allocated to the Namami Gange programme this year. The budgetary provision for Long Term Irrigation Fund has also been doubled this year. However, despite the fisheries sector coming under the purview of the agriculture ministry, the sector has been disappointed by the budget 2017. 

Committee seeks report on Chennai oil spills

The Parliament's Standing Committee of Environment and Forests has sought responses from both the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government on what measures have been taken to tackle the oil spill that had occurred outside the Kamrajar port in Chennai on January 28. Along with this, the committee has ordered both the state government and the scientists to look into the matter and use scientific measures to control the spill. Now, the local residents have approached the National Green Tribunal for compensation as well as the seizure of the vessels.

Centre approves Rs 1,350 crore to Andhra Pradesh under AMRUT

Under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), the Ministry of Urban Development has approved an investment of Rs 1,350 crore to Andhra Pradesh for improvement of basic urban infrastructure over the next three financial years.The investment includes Rs 863 crore on providing water taps to all urban households, Rs 261 crore for sewerage projects, Rs 195 crore on drainage systems and Rs 32 crore for providing green parks and open spaces in all the 32 cities in the state included in the Atal Mission. 

Rs 157 crore sanctioned to Haryana government for drinking water project

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 157 crore loan to the Haryana government for the implementation of drinking water supply scheme in 84 villages. The project sanctioned under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) aims at providing potable drinking water in villages across Prithla, Palwal and Ballabhgarh districts by constructing ranney wells and deep tube wells. Once commissioned, the project is going to benefit over three lakh people in the state.

Green nod for expansion of Upper Krishna Irrigation Project

The Karnataka government has received the green nod for the expansion of the command area of the Upper Krishna Irrigation Project (UKIP). The expansion aims to provide irrigation facilities for the drought-prone areas in three districts—Bijapur, Bagalkot and Raichur—at a cost of Rs 3,710 crore. Along with this, the project envisages utilisation of 21 TMC of water to provide irrigation facility to 1.29 lakh hectares of area benefitting 291 villages in the three districts.

This is a roundup of important policy matters from January 31 - February 5, 2017. Also, read the news this week.