(a) whether training is being provided to women under the Accelerated Rural Water
Supply Programme (ARWSP) to use water testing-kits and to maintain the hand
pumps;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the number of such trainings programmes organised and the number of women
benefited thereunder during the last two years?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU)
(a) to (c): Drinking Water is a State subject. Government of India extends financial and
technical assistance to the States for providing potable drinking water in rural areas under
the centrally sponsored Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP). As part
of the ARWSP, funds are also provided to States to take up need-based and State-specific
training programmes as decided by the respective States. Further, under National Rural
Drinking Water Quality Monitoring & Surveillance Programme started in the year 2005-
06, there are provisions for providing field test kits and imparting training to 5 persons
from each Gram Panchayat. As per information received from the States, so far 6,446
training programmes imparting training to 1,36,167 grass-root level workers have been
held. However, gender-based data are not maintained at the Central level.