Urban Water Supply in the Country

Centrally Sponsored Accelerated Urban Water Supply Programme (AUWSP) was launched in 1993-94 by the Government of India to provide central assistance to State Govts. on 50:50 matching basis between Central Govt. and State Govts. for implementation of water supply schemes in small towns having population less than 20,000 as per 1991 census. The same criteria of eligibility were adopted as per 2001 census for financial assistance with subsequent decision taken in consultation with planning Commission. The AUWSP has been subsumed with Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small & Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) with effect from FY 2005-06.

The other schemes/ programmes of the Ministry since inception of AUWSP are as under:

Ministry of Urban Development has launched Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in 2005 with a view to provide financial assistance for creating infrastructure facilities in all the urban areas of the country including water supply with a reform oriented agenda. The JNNURM has two sub-missions namely Urban Infrastructure & Governance (UIG) and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small & Medium Towns (UIDSSMT). Under UIG component of JNNURM, 65 cities having population more than one million and State capitals are eligible for funding and the remaining towns are eligible under UIDSSMT component.

Ministry of Urban Development has formulated a Scheme for Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme in Satellite Towns / Counter Magnets of Million plus Cities (UIDSST). The objectives of this scheme amongst others are to develop urban infrastructure facilities including water supply at Satellite towns/ Counter Magnets around Seven mega-cities.

The Ministry has also launched North Eastern Region Urban Development Programme (NERUDP). The capital cities of the five states are covered in the first phase viz., Agartala (Tripura), Aizawl (Mizoram), Gangtok (Sikkim), Kohima (Nagaland) and Shillong (Meghalaya) and the remaining three States would be covered in Phase-II.

The Ministry of Urban Development has also launched a scheme on 10% Lump-sum provision for the Development of North Eastern Region including Sikkim.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Urban Development Shri Saugata Roy in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

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