Lok Sabha Question No. 4652 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-30
Subject: Safe Drinking Water
Ministry: DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
Asked by: BHAIRON PRASAD MISHRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4652 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2017

## Safe Drinking Water

## †4652. SHRI  BHAIRON PRASAD  MISHRA:

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

- (a) the  details of  the  steps  taken  for providing  safe  drinking  water  to  all  the people  in  the country during the last three years; and
- (b) the details of the action plan of the Government for providing drinking water to all the people of the country during next two years?

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

- (a) Rural Drinking Water Supply is State subject. This Ministry supplements the efforts of the States by providing them with technical & financial assistance under the centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) for improving the coverage of safe and adequate drinking water supply in rural areas. During the last three years, Rs. 9640.28 Crore in 2013-14, Rs. 9191.22 Crore in 2014-15 and Rs. 4264.58 Crores in 2015-16 have been released to the States under various components of NRDWP  such  as Coverage, Water Quality, Sustainability,  Operation  &  Maintenance,  Desert  Development  Programme,  Water  Quality Earmarked funds.
- (b) Under the Strategic Plan in the NRDWP guidelines for the rural drinking water sector for the period 2011-2022, which stresses on extending the piped water supply to more households in the rural areas of the Country, the interim goal till 2017 is to cover 50% of all rural households with piped water supply. By 2022, the goal is to cover 90% of rural households with piped water supply subject to availability of adequate funds. The action plan of the Ministry in the next two years  is  expeditious  completion  of  all  ongoing  drinking  water  supply  schemes  so  as to  ensure early availability  of potable drinking water to more people. Moreover, this Ministry has taken following steps to ensure the availability of safe drinking water to all in rural areas:
- i. All  states  can  utilize  up  to  67%  of  total  National  Rural  Drinking  Water  Programme (NRDWP) fund to provide safe drinking water in rural areas.
- ii. 5% of NRDWP fund has been earmarked for water quality to ensure the availability of safe drinking water.
- iii. In  2016-17,  Rs.  814.13  crore  has  been  released  under  National  Water  Quality  Submission programme for various ongoing schemes covering Arsenic and Fluoride affected habitations.
- iv. In March 2016, NITI Aayog has provided Rs. 1000 crore to various states for providing immediate  solutions  in  Arsenic  and  Fluoride  affected  habitations  like  installation  of community water purification plants to ensure at least 8 to 10 litres of drinking water or for last mile connectivity in these areas.
- v. States have been allowed to take up new scheme in arsenic and fluoride affected areas.
- vi. States have been advised to take up surface water based projects with external aid from agencies  like  World  Bank,  Asian  Development  Bank,  Japan  International  Cooperation Agency (JICA) etc.