Rs.3,600 crore for safe drinking water

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday announced a package of Rs.3,600 crore to provide safe drinking water in some 20,000 habitations over the next three years.

The package will be earmarked under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme, Jaitley said in parliament while presenting the national budget.

He said the 20,000 habitations were affected by arsenic, fluoride, heavy or toxic elements, pesticides or fertilizers.