Shillong, Feb 1 (IANS) Ram Kripal Yadav, union minister of state for drinking water and sanitation, Sunday visited a village in Meghalaya, interacted with villagers and looked at the condition of toilets and kitchens in a few houses.
Yadav visited the tin-covered house of Saralin Wankhar in Mawphlang Nongrum village in East Khasi Hills, 25 km from state capital Shilling.
He interacted with her and her school-going son.
Yadav was offered kwai (betel nut, betel leaf and lime) which he took. He inspected the kitchen and the toilet at Wankhar's home.
Yadav told IANS he visited the village following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's direction that ministers should gain first-hand information about the problems confronting people.
"Your beautiful state need to progress ahead in development and Prime Minister Modi too is serious in ensuring rapid development," he said.
Wankhar said she "did not expect a union minister to step into my house, and spend time with us. No minister in the past made such a visit".
"I told him about our difficulties in the village and he promised that he will make efforts to bring development to our village."
Suktimai Lyngdoh Mawphlang, who waited outside Wankhar's house to interact with Yadav, said: "Not even our legislator makes such visits after winning the assembly election. They come and visit us only during election time to seek votes."
Yadav interacted with other villagers at the community hall where they complained about the non-availability of doctors.
He said he would place the people's grievances before Modi, and this would not be his last visit to the village.
"I will visit your village again, and we will have food together," he said.
Accompanied by government officials, Yadav visited the Mawphlang dam, the main source of water for Shillong and adjoining areas.
He tasted the water pumped from the dam, and remarked that the water was "sweet".
Yadav said the central government has enhanced the financial package, under the Total Sanitation Scheme, for the construction of a toilet and to provide safe drinking water from Rs.3,000 to Rs.12,000.
For some time now, the film industry and celebs have been in the news more for threats than for f
Team India defeated Australia by 3 wickets in the Brisbane Test to win the four-match series 2&nd
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has slammed the Pakistani a
Woman donates body to AIIMS for research
New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) A 67-year-old woman has become one of the oldest cadaver donors at th
Some schools in Delhi have received bomb threats this morning. Schools in South Delhi and North W
A tribal girl from Andhra Pradesh has won the gold medal in the 400 meters race in Khelo India. I
Jailer Twitter Review: Before 'Gadar 2' and 'Oh My God-2' hit the theatres, South Superstar Rajin
After the spectacular victory of the Mahayuti in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024, there i
There is a slight decrease in new cases of corona daily in the country. 16,248 new cases were reg
The Defense Minister is giving information about the helicopter accident in Coonoor in Parliament
