Lok Sabha Question No. 6401 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-05
Subject: Piped Drinking Water to Soldiers
Ministry: DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
Asked by: B. SREERAMULU, ANJU BALA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.6401 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.04.2018

## Piped Drinking Water toSoldiers

## 6401.SHRI B. SRIRAMULU: SHRIMATI ANJU BALA:

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

- (a)  whether    the    Government    is  working  on  an  ambitious  proposal to  provide  piped drinking water to soldiersespecially at border outposts in all border States and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has asked border States to send proposals containing estimates and implementation  plan  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  responses  of  the  State Governments in this regard;
- (c) whether this massive project is to be executed by your Ministry in joint collaboration with the Ministry  of  Home  Affairs,  with  the  latter  providing  funds  and  the  former  the  technical expertise for the same and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has conducted any survey to ascertain the number of border outposts in  the  country  manned  by  BSF,  SSB  and  ITBP  personnelin  difficult  terrains  in  J&K, Punjab,Rajasthan,    Gujarat,    Bengal    and    the  north-eastern  States  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (e) the progress made and funds allocated in this regard by the Government so far?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION (SHRI S.S. AHLUWALIA)

- (a) Yes Madam. The Government is working on the proposal to provide drinking water facilities /  infrastructure  in  Border  Out  Post  and  nearby  habitations.  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has taken this initiative and this Ministry has been given the role of technical examination of the proposals submitted by the Border States.
- (b) Yes, this Ministry has requested all Border States to prepare the estimates of drinking water projects in border out posts and nearby habitations and send the same for examination. So far, state  governments  of  Arunachal  Pradesh,  Assam,  Bihar,  Gujarat,  Jammu  &  Kashmir, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, West Bengal, Nagaland have submitted proposals / estimates for  drinking  water  infrastructure  in  Border  Out  Posts.  State  Government  of  Tripura  had submitted the status of coverage of drinking water infrastructure in Border Out Posts.
- (c) The role of this Ministry is to undertake technical examination of the proposals submitted by the Border States. As asked by Ministry of Home Affairs, after receipt and examination of proposals  from  all  border  states,  a  comprehensive  proposal  is  to  be  submitted  to  them  for providing funds.
- (d) Central  Government  proposes to  provide drinking  water  for  security  forces  at  Border  Out Posts  (BOPs).  All  Border  States  have  been  requested  to  take  up  drinking  water  project  in those BOPs where such facilities are lacking. The expenditure for same will be considered by government subject to guidelines as and when such proposal are made by State Governments.
- (e) Since proposals from some of the Border States are still awaited, the comprehensive proposal forfunding by Ministry of Home Affairs has not been completed so far for providing drinking water facility in border out posts. Further, the Ministry is also coordinating with states who have submitted proposals to clarify / sort out issues in the proposals submitted by them.