Lok Sabha Question No. 2024 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-05
Subject: Funds for Drinking Water Projects
Ministry: DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
Asked by: SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, A. ARUNMOZHITHEVAN, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL, Shrirang Appa Barne, NAGENDRA KUMAR PRADHAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2024

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.05.2016

## Funds for Drinking Water Projects

## 2024. DR.  SHRIKANT  EKNATH  SHINDE:

SHRIMATI  SUPRIYA  SULE:

SHRI  A.A RUNMOZHITHEVAN:

SHRI  ADHALRAO  PATIL  SHIVAJIRAO:

SHRI  DHANANJAY  MAHADIK:

SHRI  MOHITE  PATIL VIJAYSINH  SHANKARRAO:

SHRI  SHRIRANG  APPA  BARNE:

SHRI  NAGENDRA  KUMAR  PRADHAN:

Will  the  Minister  of  DRINKING  WATER  AND  SANITATION  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)  whether  the  budgetary  allocation  for  drinking  water  in  rural  areas  has  been decreasing  since  2013-14  even  as  certain  parts  of  the  country  reel  under  acute shortage of water for the second consecutive year and 13 States hit by an acute water shortage have not used funds allocated to them by the Centre for drinking water projects, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether many projects already started were affected due to less Central assistance;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Union Government thereto; and
- (d)  the  steps  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Union  Government  to  increase  its budgetary allocation for drinking water in rural areas and to ensure that the States use funds properly and timely ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION (SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV)

- (a) The Budgetary allocation of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) during the year 2013-14 was Rs 9,700 crore , in the year 2014-15 it was Rs. 9,250 crores , in the year 2015-16 it was Rs. 4,373 crores and in the year 2016-17 it is Rs 5000 crores. However, under 14 th Finance Commission  , there has been an enhanced devolution of funds to the States , and the States share have

been increased from 32% to 42%. All the States  can utilize the enhanced funds received , for drinking water supply in rural areas in their respective States.

The  13  States  namely  Uttar  Pradesh,  Odisha,  Andhra  Pradesh,  Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana and Bihar which are facing crisis of drinking water are  already  having an  amount  of  Rs.  2007.31 Crores available  with  them under NRDWP as on 01.05.2016. These States can utilize 10 % of this amount as flexi fund to take measures to mitigate the scarcity of drinking water in their States. In addition  15  %  of  the  NRDWP allocation  for  O  &  M  activities  can  be  used  for repair  /  rejuvenate    the  defunct  schemes  in  the  areas  facing  drinking  water scarcity.

(b) & (c) The reduced allocation of funds under NRDWP to a certain extent have affected  the  ongoing  projects  in  the  State.  The  States  have  been  asked  to compensate the reduced Central allocation of funds from the enhanced devolution of funds to the States under Fourteenth Finance Commission. The states have also been  directed    not  to  take  up  any  new  schemes  and  instead  focus  only  on  the completion of  ongoing schemes except the  for coverage of arsenic and  fluoride affected habitations and in Sansad Adarsh Grams  . They have also been asked to explore  new  sources  of  funding  through  domestic  as  well  as    external  lending agencies like World bank , Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), New Development Bank etc.

- (d) The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has been constantly pursuing  the Ministry  of  Finance,  Government  of  India  (GoI)  to  consider  the  increase  of budgetary allocation.