Chennai, Jun 11 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday asked the central government to sanction Rs 5,398 crore for execution of various drinking water projects in the state.

Tamil Nadu Minister for Municipal Administration, Rural Development and Implementation of Special Programme S.P. Velumani submitted a memorandum to Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, copies of which were circulated to the media here.

The water projects include desalination plant and connected pipeline work with a capacity of 100 million litres per day (MLD) at Villupuram and Tindivanam Municipality, Marakkanam and Vikkaravandi Town panchayat; 1,601 rural habitations in 10 Panchayat Unions of Villupuram District with approximate cost of Rs 2,000 crore and expected population benefitted is 16.78 lakh.

The state also wanted Rs 1,800 crore for Combined Water Supply Schemes (CWSS) to eight Town Panchayats and 2,452 rural habitations in Sivaganga district with Cauvery river as source and Rs 1,000 crore for revamping and rejuvenation of outlived 155 CWSS.

The other projects include Rs 100 crore for mitigation works for improving the supply during the drought and summer seasons for the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD) maintained CWSS; Rs 50 crore for creation of rain water harvesting structures and Rs 448 crore for drought mitigation works and Rs 300 crore for establishment of micro-composting centres.