(a) the action taken by the Government to provide pure drinking water to all people in the country during the last three years;
(b) whether the Government has implemented an action plan at national level to overcome the crisis of drinking water in various parts of the country; and
(c) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)
(a) Rural Water Supply is a State subject. State Governments are empowered to plan, design and execute the drinking water supply schemes. Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation under the centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) provides financial & technical assistance to State Governments for improving the coverage of rural drinking water supply. During last three years an amount of about Rs. 18310.55 Crore has been released to the States for coverage of drinking water supply. Further, as per information reported by the States on Integrated Management Information System (IMIS), a total of 1,82,617 rural habitations have been covered with a service level of at least 40 litres per capita per day (lpcd) during last three years. During 2017, the Ministry has restructured NRDWP to make it competitive, outcome based and result oriented which will help in catering tothe needs of drinking water to the rural population of the country.
(b) & (c)Under restructured NRDWP, funds are released to States on the basis of pre-approved criteria.During last three years an amount of about Rs. 18310.55 Crore has been released to the States for coverage of drinking water supply. As per flexi funds guidelines released by Ministry of Finance, upto 25% of the NRDWP funds can be used for measures to overcome the crisis of drinking water. Besides, the Ministry has launched National Water Quality Sub Mission (NWQSM) in March, 2017 to tackle Arsenic and Fluoridecontaminated areas for which affected States are getting focused funding within the overall NRDWP.