Lok Sabha Question No. 1004 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-27
Subject: Fluoride Contamination of Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Balashowry Vallabbhaneni

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1004 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.06.2019

## Fluoride Contamination of Water

## 1004. SHRI BALASHOWRYVALLABHANENI:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  nine  districts  in  Andhra  Pradesh  including  Krishna  are  suffering  due  to excess fluoride in drinking water;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Union Government is planning to address this  grave problem under National Programme for Prevention and Control of Fluorosis (NPPCF) in the State and also through other programmes of the Union Government and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the details of financial and technical help that the Union Government extended to Andhra Pradesh to control extent of fluoride during each of the last three years and the current year, district-wise?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)

(a) & (b) As reported by Govt. of Andhra Pradesh on IMIS of DDWS, a total of 9 districts namely Nellore, Guntur, Prakasam, Ananthapur, Kurnool, Krishna, Chittoor, Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam are affected from Fluoride in the State of  Andhra Pradesh

(c)&(d)Rural Drinking water  supply is a State subject. For improving the coverage of safe  drinking  water  to  rural  population,  this  Ministry  supplements  the  efforts  of  the States by providing them with technical and financial assistance through the centrally sponsored scheme National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP). It is the State Governments who plan, design, approve, execute, operate & maintain the schemes for providing safe drinking water to rural population.

In  order  to  prevent  and  control  problem  of  Fluorosis  in  the  country,  'National Programme for Prevention and Control of Fluorosis (NPPCF)' is being implemented in Nellore, Guntur, Prakasam, Ananthapur, Kurnool, Krishna, Chittoor, Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam, districts of Andhra Pradesh by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The fund approved under Record of Processing (RoP) for implementation of NPPCF in the State of Andhra Pradesh during the last three years and current financial year are as follows:

| Year    |   RoP(in Lakhs) |
|---------|-----------------|
| 2016-17 |           49.77 |
| 2017-18 |          150.24 |
| 2018-19 |           19.12 |
| 2019-20 |           60.12 |

During March 2016, with the recommendation of NITI Aayog, an amount of Rs. 21.26 crore  to  Government  of  Andhra  Pradesh  was  released  for  installation  of  community water purification plants in fluoride affected habitations.

In  addition  to  this,  the  Ministry  of  Drinking  Water  and  Sanitation  had  launched  the National  Water  Quality  Sub-Mission  (NWQSM)  on  22 nd March  2017  under  NRDWP  to provide safe drinking water to 27,544 arsenic / fluoride affected  rural habitations in thecountry.  The  details  of  financial  releases  made  to  Govt.  of  Andhra  Pradesh  for coverage of Fluoride affected habitations in Andhra Pradesh during the last three years under NWQSM is as follows:

| Year    |   Release (in Rs. Crores) |
|---------|---------------------------|
| 2016-17 |                      0.12 |
| 2017-18 |                     15.43 |
| 2018-19 |                     10.19 |

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