Lok Sabha Question No. 1547 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-24
Subject: Hard Water Resources in Karnataka and Rajasthan
Ministry: DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
Asked by: SANGANNA AMARAPPA KARADI, BAHADUR SINGH KOLI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1547 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24/11/2016

## Hard Water Resources in Karnataka and Rajasthan

## 1547.   SHRI SANGANNA AMARAPPA: SHRI BAHADUR SINGH KOLI:

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

- (a)  whether  only  hard  water  is  available  in  some  water  resources  in  Rajasthan  and Karnataka; (b) if so, the details thereof and the measures being taken/proposed to be taken by the Union  Government  to  improve  drinking  water  quality  in  those  areas  and  the  funds allocated and released for the purpose; (c) whether the Government proposes promotion of rainwater harvesting for drinking purposes and if so, the details of policies formulated by the Government in this regard; (d)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  constitute  a  committee  for  rain  water harvesting in rural areas and if so, the details thereof; and (e)  whether  the  Government  has  allocated  any  funds  to  the  State  Government  of
- Rajasthan and Karnataka in this regard and if so, the details thereof?

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

- (a) & (b) Hardness is one of the indicators of salinity of water. As reported by the States into the online Integrated management Information System as on 21/11/2016, in Rajasthan State, there are 12,929 rural habitations affected with excess  salinity  in  rural  drinking  water  sources  and  the  population  affected  is 29,66,790.  In Karnataka, 75 rural habitations are affected with excess salinity and population affected is 32,798.

Rural drinking water supply is a State subject and the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India assists the States with technical and financial assistance through the centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP). Upto 67% funds released to the States can be utilized for coverage and tackling water quality problems. Further, 5% NRDWP funds are also earmarked for tackling water quality problems due to chemical contamination and Japanese  Encephalitis/  Acute  Encephalitis  Syndrome  (JE/AES).    Funds  allocated and relased to Rajasthan and Karnataka under NRDWP during the current financial year 2016-17 as on 17/11/2016 is at Annexure-I.

- (c) to (e)Under NRDWP, upto 10% funds released to the States can be utilized by the States  towards  sustainability  of  rural  drinking  water  sources  which  interalia include rainwater harvesting. Therefore States are encouraged to take up rainwater harvesting structures especially in desert and drought prone areas. At the  State  level,  there  is  State  Water  and  Sanitation  Mission,  at  the  district  level, District Water and Sanitation Committee and at the Gram Panchayat level, there is Village Water and Sanitation Committee. These Committees will promote rainwater  harvesting  and  there is  no necessity of constituting any  further Committees.

Fund allocated, released and expenditure incurred during the current year 201617 for Rajasthan and Karnataka States under the Central share of NRDWP

(inRs Crore)

|   Sl. No. | Name of the State   |   Opening balance as on 1/4/2016 |   Allocation |   Release made |   Expenditure reported by State as on 21/11/2016 |
|-----------|---------------------|----------------------------------|--------------|----------------|--------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Rajasthan           |                           163.61 |       609.59 |         289.2  |                                           206.93 |
|         2 | Karnataka           |                            90.71 |       298.92 |         137.38 |                                           153.07 |