Lok Sabha Question No. 101 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-02
Subject: Drinking Water Crisis
Ministry: DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
Asked by: NISHIKANT  DUBEY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 101 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2017

## Drinking Water Crisis

## 101. SHRI NISHIKANT DUBEY:

Will the Minister of DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether drought affected districts / areas of several States including Jharkhand are facing drinking water scarcity;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UTwise;
- (c) the steps taken by the Union Government for finding solution to drinking water scarcity in these districts/areas along with the funds allocated on priority basis to these affected areas during each of the last three years and the current year, State/
- UT-wise; and
- (d)  the  details  of  measures  taken  by  the  Union  Government  to  resolve  drinking water scarcity in the country including Jharkhand?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION (SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)

- (a)  &  (b)  The  Ministry  has  not  received  any  intimation  recently  from  any  State including Jharkhand that it is facing drinking water scarcity due to drought .
- (c) & (d) This Ministry time to time issues advisory to the affected States / UTs regarding  the  mitigation  measures  to  be  taken  up  by  the  States  in  the  wake  of drought / drought like situation. In a latest advisory to State dated 04.11.2016, the states  (including Jharkhand) have been asked to take the following measures for tackling the crisis of drinking water in the affected rural areas:
- a. Hiring of diesel generator sets, pumps.
- b.  Hiring  of  water  tankers  for  emergency  water  supply  to  affected  sites subject to recoupment from future releases under calamity funds.
- c.  Procurement of sodium hypochlorite, halogen tablets, bleaching powder for proper disinfection.
- d. Hiring of sufficient vehicles fitted with water treatment plants to provide onsite safe drinking water.
- e.  Keeping  adequate  stock  of  spare  parts  that  may  be  required  for  urgent repair and restoration works both for piped water supply schemes and  hand pumps (tubewells).
- f.  Procurement  of  polyvinyl  chloride  water  tanks  for  supply  of  drinking water  in  relief  camps  subject  to  recoupment  from  future  releases  under National Disaster Response Fund / State Disaster Response Fund.

However, under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), 25 % of the fund is earmarked to States as flexi funds. States can use  this  fund  to  take  measures  to  mitigate    drinking  water  scarcity  in drought    situation.  Further,  States  can  also  utilize  15%  of  Operation  and Maintenance funds available under NRDWP  to  meet the emergent requirement for drinking water mitigation activities in the event of drought. Under NRDWP, 2 % of funds are kept aside to be released to States on the approval  of  High  Level  Committee  (HLC)    in  the  event  of  any  calamity including drought. State / UT wise funds released during last three years and current year to meet the drought / drought like situation from the calamity component of NRDWP is as below:

(Amount Rs. in crore)

|   Sr. No. | State         | 2013-14   | 2014-15   | 2015-16   | 2016-17   |
|-----------|---------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
|         1 | Haryana       | -         | 5.05      | -         | -         |
|         2 | Karnataka     | -         | 9.00      | -         | -         |
|         3 | Tamil Nadu    | 31.00     | -         | -         | -         |
|         4 | Uttar Pradesh | -         | 44.00     | -         | -         |