Lok Sabha Question No. 3090 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-31
Subject: Safe Drinking Water 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. 3090 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31 ST  DECEMBER, 2018

## Safe Drinking Water in Schools

## †3090.    SHRI SATISH CHANDRA DUBEY :

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to provide safe drinking water in all schools in the country by installing RO machines;
- (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 (DR. SATYA PAL SINGH)

(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  launched  an  Integrated  Scheme  for School Education - Samagra Shiksha, which subsumes the erstwhile 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 erstwhile SSA till 2017-18 and Samagra Shiksha effective from 2018-19, till 30.09.2018, 2.40  lakh  drinking  water  facilities  in  Government  elementary  schools  were  sanctioned,  out  of  which States and UTs have reported provision of 2.33 lakh drinking water facilities. Under erstwhile RMSA till  2017-18  and  Samagra  Shiksha  from  2018-19,  till  30.09.2018,  11,892  drinking  water  facilities  in Government secondary/senior 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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