Lok Sabha Question No. 1945 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-30
Subject: R.O. Machines in Schools
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: SATISH CHANDRA DUBEY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1945 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30 TH  JULY, 2018

## R.O. Machines in Schools

## †1945.    SHRI SATISH CHANDRA DUBEY:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to provide safe and pure Drinking water by installing R.O machines in all the schools of the country;
- (b) if so, the time by which this proposal is likely to be implemented; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

(a) to (c) There  is  no  specific  proposal  for  installing  R.O.  machines  in  all  the  schools  of  the country.  However, the provision of safe and adequate drinking water facility in elementary Schools is mandatory under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009. All States and UTs have been advised to ensure compliance of this provision of the RTE Act, 2009.

The Department of  School  Education  and  Literacy  has  formulated  an  Integrated  Scheme  for School  Education  -  Samagra  Shiksha,  which  subsumes  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  of  Sarva Shiksha  Abhiyan  (SSA),  Rashtriya  Madhyamik  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (RMSA)  and  Teacher  Education (TE).  Samagra  Shiksha  effective  from  1 st April,  2018  supports  States  and  UTs  for  strengthening  of existing  government  schools,  and  for  creation  and  augmentation  of  infrastructure  facilities  including drinking  water  facility,  based  on  the  gaps  determined  from  Unified  District  Information  System  for Education (UDISE) and proposals received from respective State/UT.

Under  the  erstwhile  scheme  of  SSA,  till  31.03.2018,  2.42  lakh  drinking  water  facilities  in Government elementary schools were sanctioned, out of which States and UTs have reported provision of 2.35 lakh drinking water facilities. Under the erstwhile scheme of RMSA, till 31.03.2018, 11,864 drinking water facilities in Government secondary schools were sanctioned, out of which States and UTs have reported provision of 10,059 drinking water facilities.

Infrastructure facilities including safe drinking water facilities in Government schools are also provided  in  convergence  with  other  schemes/programmes  of  Central  and  State  Governments.  The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation provides technical and financial assistance to States under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) for supplementing their efforts in providing safe drinking water supply in rural areas including schools. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has advised the Panchayati Raj Departments of all States in March, 2016 to include inter alia the provision of drinking water  supply  systems  in  schools  and  regular  repair  of  drinking  water  systems  in  schools,  while preparing Gram Panchayat Development Plans for using Fourteenth Finance Commission grants.

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