Question : EXCESS EXPENDITURE UNDER ARWSP

(a) whether the State Government incurred excess expenditure of Rs.348.43 crore for ARWSP from the state Plan funds as mentioned in the C&AG Report No. 3 of 1998 (Civil) on page 113 in para 6.6.3;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) the steps taken by the Government against the responsible officials in the matter;

(d) whether the entire amount of Rs.348.43 crore has since been recovered/adjusted from States out of the release of money as assured in para 6.6.3;

(e) if not, the reasons therefor; and

(f) the time by which the remaining amount is likely to be recovered?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI ANNASAHEB M.K. PATIL)

(a) to (f): The Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (No.3 of 1998) for the year ended 31st March, 1997, Chapter-VI which reviews the implementation of National Drinking Water Mission during the period 1992-97, for all States except Madhya Pradesh, was presented in Parliament on 11th June,1998.

The Report, interalia, has observed that 17 State Governments met excess expenditure of Rs.348.43 crore from Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme funds.
. Rural Water Supply is a State subject and drinking water facilities to rural habitations are provided under the State Sector funds. The Central Government endeavour to supplement the efforts of the States by providing assistance under the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP). The powers to plan, sanction and implement Rural Water Supply schemes under the above programmes rest with the State Governments.

The Action Taken Report on the observations concerning each State was obtained. The reports received indicate that all the concerned States have taken remedial action in respect of most of the observations contained in the CAG Report. The Action Taken Note, based on the information thus compiled, was got vetted by the Principal Director of Audit, New Delhi and submitted to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Branch on 22nd June, 1999 through the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure (Monitoring Cell).

Excess amount irregularly met from Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme funds was recovered from Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme funds released to the following states:

Sl.No.	Name of State	Amount Recovered from ARWSP funds during 
1.	Gujarat	Rs.631.50 lakhs from 2nd instalment of 1997-98

2.	Karnataka	Rs.193 lakhs from 2nd instalmement of 1998-99

3.	Orissa	Rs.150.62 lakhs from 1st instalment of 1998-99

4.	Punjab	Rs.257 lakhs from 2nd instalment of 1997-98 and	1st instalment of 1998-99

5.	Rajasthan	Rs.1040.91 lakhs from 2nd instalment of 1997-98
6.	Sikkim	Rs.32.88 lakhs from 1st instalment of 1998-99

7	Tamil Nadu	Rs.246.08 lakhs from 2nd instalment of 1997-98

8.	Uttar Pradesh	Rs.2455 lakhs from 2nd instalment of 1997-98

9.	West Bengal	Rs.1673.09 lakhs from 1st instalment of 1998-99
Total	Rs.6680.08 lakhs