Lok Sabha Question No. 636 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-04
Subject: Arsenic Contamination in Drinking Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Locket Chatterjee

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 636 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2021

## Arsenic Contamination in Drinking Water

## 636 . MS. LOCKET CHATTERJEE:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Union  Government  is  aware  of  the  high  level  of  Arsenic  contamination  in drinking water in the State of West Bengal;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  the  budgetary  provisions  made,  funds  released  and  utilized  for  tackling  contamination  in drinking water during the current year; and
- (d) whether the Union Government is satisfied with the achievements made so far and the work done by the Government of West Bengal and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTEROF STATEIN THE MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)

- (a)  &  (b)  As  reported  by  the  State  Government,  district-wise  numbers  of  Arsenic-affected habitations is Annexed .
- (c) & (d) To enable every rural household in the country to have assured potable water supply through  Functional  Household  Tap  Connection  (FHTC)  by  2024,  Government  of  India  in partnership  with  States,  is  implementing  Jal  Jeevan  Mission  (JJM)  -  Har  Ghar  Jal.  While planning  for  potable  water  supply  to  households,  priority  is  to  be  given  to  quality-affected habitations. In 2020-21, details of Central fund allocation to West Bengal, amount drawn by the State and reported utilisation, is as under:

(Rs. in crore)

| Central share   | Central share   | Central share             | Central share                       | Central share   | Expenditure under matching State Share   |
|-----------------|-----------------|---------------------------|-------------------------------------|-----------------|------------------------------------------|
| Opening Balance | Allocation      | Amount drawn by the State | Total available fund with the State | Fund Utilised   |                                          |
| 1,146.58        | 1,610.76        | 778.52                    | 1,925.09                            | 1,049.79        | 583.94                                   |

Further,  in  March  2017,  to  provide  safe  drinking  water  in  27,544  Arsenic/  Fluoride  affected habitations  in the country,  including 9,112 habitations of  West Bengal, National Water Quality Sub-Mission (NWQSM) was launched, which has now been subsumed under Jal Jeevan Mission. Under NWQSM, since March 2017, so far Rs. 1,305.70 crore has been released to Government of  West  Bengal  out of  which,  Rs.  973.96  crore  have  been  reported to  be  utilized  by  the  State. State Government has reported that out of 9,112 habitations identified under NWSQM, in 5,993 habitations, provision of potable water supply has been made, in 326 habitations work is going on, in 2,792 habitations ground water quality has improved. In 61 habitations, work on making provision of potable piped water supply is yet to be taken.

Under Jal Jeevan Mission, State Government has prepared Annual Action Plan for 2020-21, inter alia, which includes provision for potable water supply in quality-affected habitations.

At the time of announcement of the mission, as reported by the State, out of 163.26 lakh rural households,  only  2.15  lakh  households  (1.32  %)  had  tap  water  supply  against  the  national average of 17%. Since then, as on 02.2.2021, in West Bengal, 7.49 lakh households have been provided  with  tap  water  connections,  thus  tap  water  supply  increased  to  9.63  lakh  households (5.90 %) against the national coverage of 34.30%. Keeping in view the goal to provide potable piped water supply to every home  by 2024, State Government  need to expedite the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission as 94.10 % rural households are yet to be provided with tap water connections. Ministry does regular follow-up and hold review meetings with the State Government as well as field visit are taken up to expedite the implementation.

****

## Annex referred in the reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 636 due for reply on 04.02.2021

## Details of Arsenic-affected habitations in West Bengal as on 28.01.2021

| S. No.   | Name of District   | No. of Habitations   |
|----------|--------------------|----------------------|
| 1.       | Bardhaman          | 21                   |
| 2.       | Hooghly            | 15                   |
| 3.       | Maldah             | 302                  |
| 4.       | Murshidabad        | 301                  |
| 5.       | Nadia              | 277                  |
| 6.       | North 24 Paraganas | 185                  |
| 7.       | South 24 Paraganas | 7                    |
| Total    | Total              | 1,108                |

Source: IMIS, DDWS