Lok Sabha Question No. 5306 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-03
Subject: Fluoride and Arsenic Free Drinking Water under JJM
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Bidyut Baran Mahato, Shri Dilip Saikia, Ms Kangna Ranaut, Shri Bhojraj Nag, Shri Lumbaram Choudhary, Shri Dineshbhai Makwana

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5306 ANSWERED ON 03/04/2025

## FLUORIDE AND ARSENIC FREE DRINKING WATER UNDER JJM

†5306. SHRI DILIP SAIKIA: SHRI BHOJRAJ NAG: SHRI DINESHBHAI MAKWANA: SHRI LUMBA RAM CHAUDHARY: SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: MS KANGNA RANAUT:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

- (a) the progress made in ensuring for providing fluoride and arsenic free drinking water under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM);
- (b) whether the Government has identified high-risk areas in the country, particularly in Jalore and Sirohi districts of Rajasthan and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of the specific mitigation measures taken/being taken by the Government; and
- (d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to integrate real-time water quality monitoring technologies?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI V. SOMANNA)

(a) to (d) The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) - Har Ghar Jal, is being implemented since August, 2019, in partnership with States/ UTs including Rajasthan, to make provision of potable tap water supply in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality and on regular & long-term basis to rural households. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, as per existing guidelines, Bureau of Indian Standards' BIS:10500 standards are adopted as benchmark for quality of water being supplied through the piped water supply schemes.

Drinking Water being a State subject, the responsibility of Planning, Approval, Implementation, Operation & Maintenance of drinking water supply schemes, including those under the Jal Jeevan Mission, is vested with State/UT Governments. The Government of India support the State/ UTs by providing technical and financial assistance including the State of Rajasthan.

- As reported by States on JJM-IMIS, since the inception of JJM, about 7,746 fluoride affected, and 13,706 Arsenic affected habitations which have been reported to be covered with piped water supply schemes as on date.

- Out  of  these  7,746  fluoride  affected  habitations  in  the  country,  4,177  fluoride  affected habitations were from the State of Rajasthan.
- Out of these 4,177 fluoride affected habitations in Rajasthan, 480 and 92 habitations were from Jalore and Sirohi district respectively which are now reported by the State Government to have been covered through JJM piped water supply schemes.

Further, as on date, there are 250 Fluoride and 314 Arsenic affected rural habitations remaining in the  country  where  the  piped  water  supply  schemes  compliant  to  JJM  standards  are  yet  to  be commissioned. However, all these habitations (250 for Fluoride and 314 for Arsenic) have been provided with safe drinking water through community based water purification plants purely as an interim measure to provide potable water to every household at the rate of 8-10 litre per capita per day (lpcd) for drinking and cooking requirements.

- The State of Rajasthan has reported that its 80 remaining Fluoride affected habitations (out of 250 remaining fluoride affected habitations in the country) have been provided with safe drinking water through CWPPs/ IHPs as well.
- As reported by Rajasthan in JJM-IMIS, as on date, there are no Arsenic affected habitation in the State of Rajasthan. Thus, all habitations in rural area of the country are provided safe drinking water free from Fluoride and Arsenic contamination.

Under JJM, while planning water supply schemes to provide tap  water  supply to  households, priority is given to habitations affected by chemical contaminants including Fluoride and Arsenic. States/  UTs  have  been  advised  to  plan  and  implement  piped  water  supply  schemes  based  on alternative  safe  water  sources  for  the  villages  with  water  quality  issues.  The  Department  has developed a web based integrated management information system (JJM-IMIS) to capture and monitor  the  data  of  water  quality  affected  habitations,  where  States/UTs  provide  status  of habitation that have contamination in their drinking water sources.

As per the Operational Guidelines, States/ UTs can utilize up to 2% of their annual allocation of funds under JJM for Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance (WQM&S) activities, inter-alia, which includes setting up and strengthening of water quality testing laboratories, procurement of equipment,  instruments, chemicals, glassware, consumables,  hiring of  skilled  manpower, surveillance  by  community  using  field  test  kits  (FTKs),  awareness  generation,  educational programmes on water quality, accreditation/recognition of laboratories, etc.

To enable States/ UTs to test water samples for water quality, and for sample collection, reporting, monitoring  and  surveillance  of  drinking  water  sources,  an  online  JJM  -  Water  Quality Management Information System (WQMIS) portal has been developed. The State-wise details of water quality test reported through WQMIS are available in public domain on JJM Dashboard and can also be accessed at:

## https://ejalshakti.gov.in/WQMIS/Main/report

A 'Citizen Corner' was also developed on the JJM Dashboard. The corner included display of water quality test results in the public domain to further create awareness and build confidence among people about the quality of water supplies through the PWS in rural areas.

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