Lok Sabha Question No. 4158 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-18
Subject: Water Supply
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: Poonam (Mahajan) Vajendla Rao

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4158

TO BE ANSWERED ON JULY 18, 2019

## WATER SUPPLY

No. 4158.

SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN:

Will  the  Minister  of  HOUSING  AND  URBAN  AFFAIRS  be pleased  to state:

- (a) whether water supply across the country is a 'top priority' for the Government;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  made  or  proposes  to  make  an investment  of  Rs.2,05,018  crore  for  the  purpose  under  the Smart Cities Mission; and
- (d)
- if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

(SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI)

(a)  &  (b):  Government  of  India  has  created  Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti integrating the erstwhile Ministry of Water Resources River Development  and  Ganga  Rejuvenation  and  Ministry  of  Drinking Water  and  Sanitation  with  an  aim  of  integrated  water  resources management  under  one  umbrella  so  that  the  issues  relating  to water are dealt with in a holistic manner.

National Water  Policy, 2012  formulated  by  the erstwhile Ministry of Water Resources states that safe water for drinking and sanitation should be considered as pre-emptive needs, followed by high  priority  allocation  for  other  basic  domestic  needs  (including needs of animals),  achieving  food  security,  supporting  sustenance agriculture  and  minimum eco-system needs. Available water, after meeting  the  above  needs,  should  be  allocated  in  a  manner  to promote its conservation and efficient use."

Water supply is a State subject and it is the responsibility of the State Governments/Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to plan, design and execute water supply scheme for the urban area of the country. Government of India supplements the efforts of the States through its flagship Missions.

Government  of India has launched the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) on 25 th June, 2015 in 500 cities across the country for a period of five years, i.e. from 2015-16  to  2019-20,  with  focus  on  development  of  basic  urban infrastructure  in  the  Mission  cities.  Water  supply  is  one  of  the priority sectors under AMRUT, wherein projects related to augmentation  of  existing  water  supply,  water  treatment  plants, rehabilitation  of  old  water  supply  systems,  rejuvenation  of  water bodies  specifically  for  drinking  water  supply  and  recharging  of ground water etc. can be taken up by the States/Union Territories to enhance  water  supply  in  the  Mission  cities.  In  the water  supply sector,  contracts  for  1,137  projects  worth  Rs.34,026  crore  have been  awarded  including  280  completed  projects  worth  Rs.2,332 crore.

An  advisory  has  been  issued  by  the  Department  of  Drinking Water  and  Sanitation  on  20 th   May  2019  to  the  States  on  water conservation and to meet the drinking water requirements of rural areas, on priority, during scarcity.

A  meeting  of  the  State  Ministers  of  Water  Resources  and Water Supply was held under the chairmanship of the Minister of Jal Shakti on 11 th  June 2019 in which comprehensive review of the activities  taken  up  by  the  States  for  addressing  the  concerns arising out of the current situation were reviewed.

Hon'ble Prime Minister has personally addressed a letter to all sarpanches  in  the  country  motivating  them  to  take  up  water conservation activities like de-silting and cleaning of water bodies and rain water harvesting, etc. with people's participation.

Government  have  launched  Jal  Shakti  Abhiyan  (JSA)  on  01 st July 2019. JSA is a time-bound, mission-mode water conservation campaign.  The  JSA  aims  at  making  water  conservation  a  'Jan Andolan'  through asset creation and communication campaign.

(c) & (d): A total of 5151 projects have been proposed by selected 100 Smart Cities in their Smart Cities Proposals at an estimated cost  of  Rs.  2,05,018  crores,  which  also  includes  proposals  for Smart  Water.  As  on  11 th July  2019,  38  projects  of  Smart  Water worth Rs.1,226 crore have been completed, work order have been issued  for  129  projects  worth  Rs.10,492  crore  and  tenders  have been issued in 43 projects worth Rs.4,620 crore.

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