Union Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation Ram Kripal Yadav told media persons at Agartala Friday that 40,000 crore rupees would be transferred directly for development of Panchayats all over India.<br/><br/>The Union Minister expressed satisfaction over the success rate of Manipur and Tripura to meet the targets under these two flagship programmes of the Union government. He said Tripura and Manipur achieved 70.25 per cent and 74.24 per cent success in total sanitation programmes. The Minister said no hamlet in Tripura has remained uncovered in accessing safe drinking water.<br/><br/>The Union Minister further added that the Tripura government fixed target to achieve 100 per cent success in total sanitation and become free from open defecation completely by 2017. While the Centre, he said, resolved to make the country free-from-open-defecation by 2019. He said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accorded topmost emphasis for development of every states of the region. <br/><br/>The Union Minister of State Shri Yadav arrived at Agartala Friday and chaired a meeting to review the progress of Tripura and Manipur under National Drinking Water Programmme and Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). The meeting was attended by senior officials of the concerned departments from both the states. During his two-day tour, he also visited to the State level water-testing laboratory in Agartala and water treatment plants in Gomati and Sepahijala districts.