Lok Sabha Question No. 4009 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-19
Subject: Contamination of Drinking Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Mr Pathan Yusuf

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4009

ANSWERED ON - 19/12/2024

## CONTAMINATION OF DRINKING WATER

## 4009. MR PATHAN YUSUF:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  the  details  of  the  States  affected  due  to  contamination  of  drinking  water  with  fluoride  and arsenic elements across the country, district-wise;

(b) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to provide safe drinking water to such States including West Bengal;

(c) whether the Government has fixed any target to supply potable tap water supply in adequate quantity regularly to every rural household in the country by 2024, especially in arsenic affected areas;

(d)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  number  of  districts  likely  to  be  covered  under  Jal  Jeevan Mission (JJM) till date; and

(e) the funds sanctioned by the Government under JJM to West Bengal during the last three years and the current year, year-wise?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d) Government of India is committed to make provision for safe & potable tap water supply in  adequate  quantity,  of  prescribed  quality  and  on  a  regular  &  long-term  basis  to  all  rural households in the country. Towards this end, the Government of India launched the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), to be implemented in partnership with States, in August 2019. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, as per existing guidelines, Bureau of Indian Standards' BIS:10500 standards are adopted as  benchmarks  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, and maintenance of drinking water supply schemes, including those under the Jal Jeevan Mission, lies with State/UT Governments. The Government of India supports the States including West Bengal by providing technical and financial assistance.

Significant progress has been made in the State since the launch of Jal Jeevan Mission, towards enhancing access to tap water to rural households. At the time of announcement of Jal Jeevan Mission in August 2019, 3.23 Crore (16.72%) rural households were reported to have tap water connections in the country. So far, as reported by States/ UTs as on 16.12.2024, around 12.12 Crore additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections under JJM. Thus, as on 16.12.2024, out of 19.36 Crore rural households in the State, approximately 15.36 Crore (79.35%) households are reported to have tap water supply in their homes.

Under JJM, while planning water supply schemes to provide tap water  supply to  households, priority is given to habitations affected by chemical contaminants. Under JJM, while allocating the funds to States/ UTs, 10% weightage is given to the population residing in 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.

Under JJM, it was envisaged that planning, implementation and commissioning of piped water supply scheme based on a safe water source may take time, therefore, purely as an interim measure, States/ UTs have been advised to install community water purification plants (CWPPs) especially in Arsenic and Fluoride affected habitations to provide potable water to every household to meet their drinking and cooking requirements.  Since launch of JJM, due to the efforts taken under the mission, the number of reported fluoride and arsenic affected habitations have reduced over the years. Further, in all the remaining 255 fluoride and 314 arsenic affected habitations, provision of safe  drinking  water  for  cooking  and  drinking  requirements  has  been  made  available  through CWPPs/ IHPs. State-wise details is annexed . In West Bengal, provision of safe drinking water for cooking and drinking requirements has been made available in all the 37 fluoride and 57 arsenic affected habitations.

(e) The details of fund allocation, fund drawn and reported fund utilization under JJM during the last  three  years  (2021-22,  2022-23  and  2023-24)  and  current  financial  year  2024-25  (as  on 16.12.2024) by the state of West Bengal are as under:

(Amount in Rs. Crore)

| Year     | Central         | Central    | Central    | Central        | Central              | Expenditure under State share   |
|----------|-----------------|------------|------------|----------------|----------------------|---------------------------------|
| Year     | Opening Balance | Allocation | Fund Drawn | Available Fund | Reported utilization | Expenditure under State share   |
| 2021-22  | 757.58          | 6,998.97   | 1,404.61   | 2,162.19       | 1,547.52             | 725.77                          |
| 2022-23  | 614.67          | 6,180.25   | 3,090.12   | 3,704.79       | 1,953.73             | 3,204.21                        |
| 2023-24  | 1,751.06        | 3,806.29   | 4,206.29   | 5,957.35       | 5,004.16             | 5,155.11                        |
| 2024-25* | 953.19          | 5,049.98   | 2,524.99   | 3,478.18       | 2,596.57             | 2,833.52                        |

* as on 16.12.2024

Source: JJM-IMIS

*****

Annex  referred  in  the  reply  to  Lok  Sabha  unstarred  Question  No.  4009  for  reply  on 19/12/2024.

State and district-wise details of Fluoride-affected habitations ( as on 16/12/2024 )

| State       | District        |   Number of Fluoride affected habitations |   Covered with CWPP/ IHP |
|-------------|-----------------|-------------------------------------------|--------------------------|
| Odisha      | Balangir        |                                         8 |                        8 |
| Odisha      | Malkangiri      |                                         4 |                        4 |
| Odisha      | Mayurbhanj      |                                         2 |                        2 |
| Punjab      | Fatehgarh Sahib |                                        12 |                       12 |
| Punjab      | Ferozepur       |                                         1 |                        1 |
| Punjab      | Patiala         |                                       101 |                      101 |
| Punjab      | Sangrur         |                                         3 |                        3 |
| Punjab      | Tarn Taran      |                                         2 |                        2 |
| Rajasthan   | Alwar           |                                        16 |                       16 |
| Rajasthan   | Barmer          |                                         4 |                        4 |
| Rajasthan   | Bhilwara        |                                         1 |                        1 |
| Rajasthan   | Bikaner         |                                         1 |                        1 |
| Rajasthan   | Chittorgarh     |                                         1 |                        1 |
| Rajasthan   | Dausa           |                                         9 |                        9 |
| Rajasthan   | Jaisalmer       |                                        25 |                       25 |
| Rajasthan   | Jhunjhunu       |                                         1 |                        1 |
| Rajasthan   | Neem Ka Thana   |                                         2 |                        2 |
| Rajasthan   | Pali            |                                         3 |                        3 |
| Rajasthan   | Phalodi         |                                        21 |                       21 |
| Rajasthan   | Sikar           |                                         1 |                        1 |
| West Bengal | Birbhum         |                                        10 |                       10 |
| West Bengal | Purulia         |                                        27 |                       27 |
| Total       | Total           |                                       255 |                      255 |

## State and district-wise details of Arsenic-affected habitations ( as on 16/12/2024 )

| State       | District          |   Number of Arsenic affected habitations |   Covered with CWPP/ IHP |
|-------------|-------------------|------------------------------------------|--------------------------|
| Punjab      | Amritsar          |                                      122 |                      122 |
|             | Fazilka           |                                        3 |                        3 |
|             | Ferozepur         |                                        7 |                        7 |
|             | Gurdaspur         |                                      100 |                      100 |
|             | Rupnagar          |                                        1 |                        1 |
|             | Tarn Taran        |                                       24 |                       24 |
| West Bengal | Malda             |                                       37 |                       37 |
|             | Murshidabad       |                                       16 |                       16 |
|             | North 24 Parganas |                                        4 |                        4 |
| Total       | Total             |                                      314 |                      314 |