(a) the overall strategy of the Government to provide reliable and sustainable water supply to the people of Tamil Nadu;
(b) whether the deficiencies in providing water supply have been identified;
(c) if so, the manner in which those deficiencies will be addressed;
(d) the structural reforms proposed by the Government with regard to water supply; and
(e) the schemes for infrastructural investment in water supply?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION (PROF.SANWAR LAL JAT)
(a) As per the information furnished by the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation, water supply to rural habitations in Tamil Nadu is provided through individual and Combined Water Supply Schemes (CWSS)from reliable subsurface (bore well/open well) as well as surface (river/dams and reservoirs) water sources.
These schemes are implemented with grants from Government of India under JawaharLal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM), Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small &Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) and Government of Tamil Nadu under Minimum Needs Programme, Integrated Urban Development Mission (IUDM) and also with bilateral assistance from World Bank, Kentucky Foundation for Women (KFW) and Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA).
To provide sustainable water supply, recharge structures namely check dams, recharge shafts, percolation ponds are constructed near the drinking water sources.
(b)&(c) Yes, Madam. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has reported that out of a total of 1,08,018 habitations in the rural areas 85,940 habitations are fully covered and 14072 habitations are partially covered. Water Supply schemes are being currently implemented in 4805 partially covered rural habitations, out of which 1621 habitations have been covered during 2014-15.
As far as urban areas are concerned, the status of water supply is good in 524 urban bodies (six corporations; 47 municipalities and 471 town Panchayats); average in two corporations 75 municipalities and 55 town Panchayats. It is below average in three corporations, two municipalities and two town Panchayats. Stand-alone Water Supply Schemes have been taken up in 41 urban towns, out of which 8 towns have been covered during 2014-15.
Tamil Nadu Water Supply And Drainage (TWAD) Board has taken up 16 major CWSS Projects costing more than Rs.100 crore covering 1 Corporation, 18 Municipalities, 87 Town Panchayats and 15042 rural habitations in Madurai, Virudhunagar, Coimbatore, Thiruppur, Salem, Vellore, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Thanjavur,Sivagangai and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu for a total Project Cost of Rs.5684.96 crore benefitting an ultimate population of about 133.50 lakh.
For the benefit of coastal Districts in Tamil Nadu, one major sea water based desalination plant with a capacity of 3.80 million litres per day was commissioned at Narippaiyur in Ramanathapuram District. At present it is providing water supply to 104 habitations.
Further, the works for installation of 3 Nos. of Desalination plants of 60 million liters per day capacity in Ramanathapuram and Thoothukudi Districts have been planned.
(d)&(e) As far as NRDWP is concerned, no structural reforms have been proposed at this stage.
Rural water supply schemes are implemented with grants from Government of India and Government of Tamil Nadu on 50:50 basis under NRDWP.
Urban water supply schemes are implemented with 80% grants from Government of India under JnNURM, UIDSSMT and 20% from Local Body.