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Bengal to have International Institute of Arsenic Studies soon

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Press Trust of India Kolkata
Last Updated : Jan 24 2013 | 1:49 AM IST

Replying to the debate on Rs 1127 crore budgetary grants of his department, Mukherjee said that the Centre has already announced a provision of Rs 50 crore during 2012-13.

The decision has been taken up as follow-up of a global seminar in the city recently to ensure safety and quality of food and water, he said.

Expressing concern on arsenic contamination in water, the minister said that a Vision-2020 plan document had already been prepared with an objective to supply potable drinking water through pipe along with livestock.

Mukherjee said that the estimated expenditure of short-term, long-term planning were Rs 1295 crore and 21,125 crore respectively, which would be spent in next 10 years.

An all-out effort has also been taken up to provide drinking water supply in backward districts of Bankura and Purulia, marked as water-scarce and fluoride-affected.

Preparation of the DPR towards comprehensive water supply coverage for the above two districts at an estimated cost of Rs 1701 crore and 1287 crore were sent to Centre seeking suitable avenues of funding through JICA, Japan.

A plan has also been taken up at a cost of Rs 1031 crore to solve the acute water supply problem in Darjeeling, the minister said.

  

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First Published: Jun 30 2012 | 7:36 PM IST

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