Lok Sabha Question No. 781 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-06
Subject: Fluoride affected Habitations
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Gaddam Ranjith Reddy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 781 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2020

## Fluoride affected Habitations

## 781. DR. G. RANJITH REDDY:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  it  is  true  that  as  per  the  Integrated  Management  Information  System  137  rural habitations have been identified as fluoride affected in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana;
- (b) if so, the details of such habitations;
- (c) whether any new habitations have been added between 2013 to 2019;
- (d) if so, the details and the reasons therefor;
- (e) the efforts made by the Union Government to make them fluoride-free habitations; and
- (f)  the  details  of  technical  and  financial  assistance  provided  to  the  State  Governments  to  deal with the above problem?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)

- (a) & (b) The number of fluoride affected habitations in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana, as reported the State in IMIS of the Department is as below:-

| As on      |   Number of fluoride affected habitations |
|------------|-------------------------------------------|
| 01.04.2014 |                                       131 |
| 01.04.2015 |                                       118 |
| 01.04.2016 |                                       120 |
| 01.04.2017 |                                        25 |
| 01.04.2018 |                                         0 |
| 01.04.2019 |                                         0 |
| 04.02.2020 |                                         0 |

(c) & (d) As reported by State, 17 & 10 number of fluoride affected habitations have been added during 2016 & 2017 respectively.

(e) & (f) Rural drinking water supply is a State subject and Government of India assists States by providing  financial  and  technical  assistance  to  provide  potable  water  to  rural  population through the centrally sponsored scheme Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). Powers to plan, approve, and implement  rural  drinking  water  supply  schemes  are  vested  with  States.  While  allocating  the funds  under  JJM  to  States/UTs,  10%  weightage  has  been  given  to  the  population  residing  in habitations  affected  by  chemical  contaminants  (including  fluoride  affected  habitations).  The funds provided to the States under JJM can be utilized for taking up schemes in water quality affected areas on priority.

In March  2016,  with  the  recommendation  of  NITI Aayog,  an amount  of 1,000 Crores was  released  to  various  Arsenic  &  Fluoride   affected   States  for  installation   of  Community water  purification  plants and commissioning of piped water supply schemes. Out of which, Rs. 94.58 Crore has been released to Telangana State.

Further, in March 2017, National Water Quality Sub-Mission (NWQSM) was launched as a part of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), which has now been subsumed under Jal  Jeevan  Mission,  to  provide  safe  drinking  water  to  27,544  Arsenic/  Fluoride  affected  rural habitations in the country. As reported by State, all identified 1041 fluoride affected habitations including 120 habitations from Ranga Reddy district have been provided safe drinking water and Rs. 700.23 Crore has been released to Telangana State under NWQSM.

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