Bonus funds for executing rural water supply schemes The Centre has rewarded eight States for performing well in executing rural drinking water schemes during 2011-12. Union Minister of Rural Development Jairam Ramesh has decided to provide bonus funds to Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura, Assam, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu for successfully expending 60 per cent of their annual allocation under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) by December 2011. The decision was taken to avoid lapse of funds in view of poor utilisation by other States — that too when the focus was on solving the problem of inadequate drinking water supply or improving water quality. A sum of Rs. 502.54 crore was released to the eight States as additional funds over and above their annual allocation. Mr. Ramesh personally wrote to the Chief Ministers informing them of his decision and appreciating their endeavour. No bias: Ramesh Mr. Ramesh denied any bias in the additional allocation saying the beneficiaries were not only Congress-ruled States. Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Tripura and Punjab have non-Congress governments, whereas the Congress is in power in Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Haryana. Assam and Gujarat have been given the highest bonus of Rs. 100 crore each, followed by Tamil Nadu with Rs. 98.20 crore, Arunachal Pradesh (61.01 crore), Punjab (46.82 crore), Haryana (Rs. 35 crore), Meghalaya (Rs. 31.50 crore) and Tripura (Rs. 30.01 crore).