(a) whether any assessment has been made regarding quantity and severity of fluoride in drinking water in various parts of the country, especially in the rural parts;
(b) if so, the details thereof, State/UTwise, especially in Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh; and
(c) the details of the steps taken by the Government to check the excess of fluoride in drinking water?
MINISTER OF STATE
IN THE MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION
(SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)
(a) & (b): As per Bureau of International Standards, the permissible limit of Fluoride in Drinking Water is 1.5 mg/L and State-wise number of fluoride affected rural habitations, wherein fluoride is in excess of permissible limit of 1.5 mg/L, as reported by the States in Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the Ministry including Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh as on 26.12.2018 is at Annexure.
(c) : Rural Drinking water supply is a State subject. For improving the coverage of safe drinking water to rural population, this Ministry supplements the efforts of the States by providing them with technical and financial assistance through the centrally sponsored scheme National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP). It is the State Governments who plan, design, approve, execute, operate & maintain the schemes for providing safe drinking water to rural population. The funds provided to the States under NRDWP can be utilized for taking up schemes in water quality affected areas on priority including fluoride affected areas.
To deal with arsenic and fluoride contamination, with the recommendation of National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), Government of India had released Rs. 1,000 crore in March 2016 for commissioning of Community Water Purification Plants (CWPPs) and last mile connectivity of piped water supply schemes.
In addition, the Ministry had launched National Water Quality Sub-Mission (NWQSM) on 22.03.17 to provide safe drinking water to 27,544 arsenic / fluoride affected rural habitations in a span of 4 years, subject to availability of funds.