Lok Sabha Question No. 773 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-20
Subject: Funds for Rural Water Supply
Ministry: DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
Asked by: SHASHI THAROOR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.773 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2017

## Funds for Rural Water Supply

## 773. DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

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

- (a) whether  according  to  the  23rd  report  of  the  Standing  Committee  of  Rural Development, 3042 lakh habitations are receiving inadequate drinking water and 59,881  habitations  where  quality  of  drinking  water  is  affected  with  water contaminants like Arsenic, Fluoride, Iron etc;
- (b) if  so,  whether  the  Government  is  considering  increasing  the  funds  for  rural drinking water to achieve the set targets and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government is aware that habitations receiving contaminated water are either suffering from or are at risk of diseases such as skin cancer, skeletal fluorosis, renal failures etc.; and
- (d)   if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

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

(a) As per 23rd report of the Standing Committee of Rural Development, there are 59,881 habitations where quality of drinking water is affected with water contaminants like Arsenic, Fluoride, Iron etc. and 3.42 lakh habitations are Partially Covered i.e. getting  less  than the norm of  40  litre  per  capita  per day  (lpcd) of  safe drinking water.

(b) Funds  under  National  Rural  Drinking  Water  Programme  (NRDWP)  are released to States based on pre-approved criteria as outlined under NRDWP guideline for  providing  safe  drinking  water  in  rural  areas.  Funds  under  NRDWP  has  been increased from Rs. 4373 crore in 2015-16 to Rs. 6000 crore in 2016-17 and Rs. 6050 crore in 2017-18. As per the recommendation of 14 th Finance Commission, there has been an enhanced devolution of funds to the States from 32% to 42%, part of which can  be  used  in  strengthening  the  rural  drinking  water  supply.  Further,  there  is  also direct  funding of  substantial  amount  to  rural  local  bodies  for  various  basic  services including water supply. The states have also been advised to pool more funds from their own resources.

(c) to (d) Yes Government is aware that habitations receiving contaminated water are  either  suffering  from  or  are  at  risk  of  diseases  such  as  skin  cancer,  skeletal fluorosis, renal failures etc. Disease surveillance is not the mandate of this Ministry.

Rural drinking water supply is a State subject. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation assists the States technically and financially in providing safe drinking water  through  the  centrally  sponsored  National  Rural  Drinking  Water  Programme (NRDWP). Up to 67% of funds provided to the States under NRDWP can be utilized for coverage and tackling water quality problems with priority to arsenic and fluoride affected  habitation. Further,  5%  of  the  NRDWP  funds  are  earmarked  for  Water Quality  and  allocated  to  those  States  with  habitations  affected  by  excess  chemical contamination and with high priority districts affected by Japanese Encephalitis/Acute Encephalitis  Syndrome.It  is  the  State  Governments  who  plan,  design,  approve, execute and operate & maintain the schemes for providing safe drinking water.

The Ministry has  informed all  the  States  to commission  surface  water  based piped  water  supply schemes  in  all  water quality  affected habitations  as  a  long  term sustainable solution. However, since commissioning of Piped Water Supply projects may  take  3-5  years  and  the  rural  people  cannot  be  put  to  risk  of  consuming contaminated  water  during  this  period,  all  States  have  been  advised  to  install community water purification plants.  This  is  being  done  as  a  short  term  immediate measure for providing 8-10 lpcd (litre per capita per day) of safe water for drinking and cooking purpose only. On recommendation of NITI Aayog, the Government of India  had  released  Rs  800  crore  in  March'  2016  to  provide  community  water purification  plants  in  all  remaining  arsenic  and  fluoride  affected  habitations.  In addition, funds to the tune of Rs.100 Crore each are also provided for tackling arsenic and  fluoride problems  in  West  Bengal  and  Rajasthan  respectively  for  the  last  mile connectivity in commissioning surface water based piped water supply schemes.

In  addition  to this,  the Ministry  has  launched  a  National  Water Quality  SubMission  on  22 nd March  2017  to  provide  safe  drinking  water  to  arsenic  /  fluoride affected  habitations.  During  February  /  March  2017  under  National  Water  Quality Sub-Mission funds to an amount of Rs. 814.14 Crore has been released to 15 States to complete ongoing schemes.