Question : COVERAGE UNDER DRINKING WATER SCHEMES

(a) the percentage coverage in regard to supply of drinking water in Scheduled Caste (SC) and tribal areas, State-wise as compared to average drinking water coverage in other areas, State-wise;

(b) the initiatives taken by the Government to provide drinking water available in SC and tribal areas;

(c) the number of Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribe dominated districts covered under drinking water schemes in the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(d) the number of districts where projects have been delayed and the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and

(e) the action plan of the Government to provide drinking water to SC, tribals and backward areas on a priority basis?

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

(a) As per norms of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, shortage of drinking water to a rural habitation can be defined as a habitation where all the population is not being provided with the potable drinking water of 40 litres per capita per day (lpcd). Such habitations are called partially covered habitations. Similarly habitations where water is contaminated through chemical contaminants or bacteriological contaminants are categorized as quality effected habitations. The Ministry has an online Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) in which States have reported status of rural habitations in terms of coverage of adequate and potable drinking water supply and have entered the data in respect of coverage of General, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe population. As per information entered by States, as on 01.04.2014, the Status of coverage of General, SC and ST population is given at Annexure-I.

(b)to (e) Water is a state subject. The Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation administers the centrally sponsored scheme, the National Rural Drinking Water Program (NRDWP) for providing technical and financial assistance to the States, to supplement their efforts to provide adequate and safe drinking water in rural areas. The State Governments are vested with powers to plan, approve and implement rural drinking water supply projectunder NRDWP. However, States are requested every year to emphasis on coverage of SC and ST concentrated areas. Under NRDWP, 22% and 10% funds are allocated for SC and ST concentrated habitations respectively. Each State allocates the funds as per the category wise demographic conditions of the State. The number of SC and ST concentrated habitations during last three years and current years are at Annexure-II.