Four state-run companies to help make Tripura ODF state

Agartala, Jan 23 (IANS) Four state-owned companies under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry will provide Rs 80 crore to Tripura to make the northeastern state Open Defecation Free (ODF) soon, a top ONGC official said here on Wednesday.

Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) Executive Director Gautam Kumar Singha Roy after handing over a cheque of Rs 20 crore to Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb told the media that four companies under the Ministry would give Rs 80 crore to Tripura to make the state ODF soon.

Besides ONGC, the other companies who would provide the finance assistance for the scheme are Indian Oil Corp, Oil India Ltd and Gas Authority of India Ltd.

The Chief Minister said for the state to achieve ODF status, a new scheme -- Jibandhara State Water and Sanitation Mission (JSWSM) -- has been launched which would cover at least 3.50 lakh families.

Singha Roy, who is also the head of company's Tripura asset, said that with Rs 80 crore, 67,430 Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs) would be constructed in the state.

He said that as part of the ONGC's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the government-owned company has decided to provide a total of Rs 25 crore to the JSWSM.

A cheque of Rs 20 crore was handed over to the Chief Minister on Wednesday and the remaining Rs 5 crore would be given later.

Tripura Chief Secretary Lalit Kumar Gupta is the ex-officio Chairman of the JSWSM.

ONGC's CSR chief S.S.C Parthiban said that under the CSR programme, during the fiscal 2017-18, the company spent Rs 503 crore on various projects across the country, and for the current financial year 2018-19, Rs 480 crore had been earmarked for CSR activities.

Executive Director Roy added that it has already given financial support worth several crores to the state government for making Tripura an ODF state.

"To realise the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make the country ODF by October 2, 2019, ONGC has been extending its support," he added.