(a)the number of villages and inaccessible areas of the country where sufficient potable water is not available;
(b)the time by which the Government proposes to provide potable water in these villages and inaccessible areas;
(c)whether adequate financial provisions have been made for resolving the scarcity of potable water in the country during current financial year; and
(d)if so, the details of the financial assistance earmarked for West Bengal for the current year?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(SHRI S. S. AHLUWALIA)
(a) This Ministry maintains information in terms of habitations and not in terms of number of villages. As per information available on Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of this Ministry, the number of Partially Covered habitations (i.e. getting less than 40 litre per capita per day safe drinking water) and Water Quality affected habitations (i.e. containing at least one chemical contaminant) in the country under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) where sufficient potable water is not available is as under. This Ministry does not maintain data with regard to inaccessible areas.
Programme Partially Covered (PC) habitations Water Quality (WQ) affected habitations
NRDWP 3,14,563
71402
(b) The Ministry has chalked out a strategic goal 2017-2030, wherein the Ministry aims to achieve ‘Har Ghar Jal’ by 2030 i.e. providing safe & adequate drinking water to each rural household through coordinated efforts of the State Governments. The goal is to provide coverage of rural population with piped water supply and household connection ultimately by 2030 to honour the commitment made by the country in the international forum while agreeing for UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-2030. Further, the Ministry has restructured National Rural Drinking Water Program (NRDWP) to make it competitive, outcome based and result oriented which will help in attaining the ultimate goal.
(c) to (d) Yes Madam. During current financial year i.e. 2017-18, Rs.7050 crores has been allocated to the Ministry for resolving the scarcity of potable water in the country. Out of this, Rs. 6026.34 crores has been released to the States as on 05.03.2018.
Further, Rs. 740.07 crores has been earmarked for West Bengal under NRDWP during current financial year.