UDUPI: The deputy secretary of the zilla panchayat Shivashankar said here on Saturday that Rs. 1.26 crore had been released for rainwater harvesting under the Suvarnajala scheme in the district.

He was speaking at a review meeting on the implementation of Centrally-sponsored rural development programmes held at the Deputy Commissioner's Office.

First phase

Mr. Shivashankar said that Rs. 63 lakh had been released in the first phase and a similar amount had been released under the second phase. Under the Suvarnajala scheme, rainwater harvesting had been taken up in 290 schools, he added. Of these 290 schools, rainwater harvesting had been completed in 145 schools. The implementation of the scheme was under progress in the remaining schools, he added. Funds had been released to implement rainwater harvesting in anganwadis in 40 gram panchayats.

Tax concession

To encourage people to take up rainwater harvesting, 25 per cent concession on house tax for five years was being offered, he said.

When Manorama Madhwaraj, MP, who was chairing the meeting, said that the delay in the implementation of the Swajaladhara scheme was causing problems, the project evaluation officer of the Udupi Zilla Panchayat Srinivas Rao said that digging of wells to identify the source of water was taken up only in April and May.

This was because only when water was identified in these two months, availability of water was assured throughout the year.

Last year there were early rains and this created some problems, he added. Deputy Commissioner in-charge R. Shantharaj and vice-president of the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party A.G. Kodgi were present.

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