Question : Safe Drinking Water

(a) whether apart from administrative and Government initiatives, public participation is required to provide safe drinking water to every household;
(b) if so, whether 14th Finance Commission has also recommended public participation and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Union Government has identified some districts for Swajal programme as the piped water supply in these districts was only about 25 per cent compared to the national average;
(d) if so, the names of these districts and their percentage of national average;
(e) whether the Union Government has decided to involve the Panchayats while framing schemes/policies for safe drinking water and if so, the details thereof; and
(f) the steps taken/being taken by the Union Government for providing safe drinking water to the people?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)

(a)& (b)Yes Madam. Under 14th Finance Commission, there is direct funding of substantial amount to rural local bodies for various basic services including water supply.
(c)& (d) Yes Madam. This Ministry has conceived a plan named ‘Swajal’ which is to be implemented throughpublic participation / cooperation at the level of Gram Panchayats (GPs) in Aspirational Districts across the country. As reported by States on Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the Ministry, names of the districts along with piped water supply coverage percentage is at Annexure.
(e) Yes Madam. Rural drinking water supply is a State subject and is also included in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution amongst the subjects that is entrusted to Panchayats by the States. Under ‘Swajal’ scheme, the Panchayati Raj Institutions play a critical role in planning, designing and implementation of the scheme in the rural drinking water supply sector.
(f) Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation under the centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) assists State Governments financially & technically for improving rural drinking water supply. It is the State Government who plan, design, approve, execute and operate & maintain the schemes for providing safe drinking water to rural population. The Ministry has directed the States to cover the rural households with Piped Water Supply with sustainable safe source. To achieve this, the States have been advised to pool more funds from State plan in view of the enhanced devolution of funds under the 14th Finance Commission and to arrange external assistance or loan from lending institution over and above the funding from the Ministry under NRDWP. Moreover, the Ministry has restructured NRDWP to make it competitive, outcome based and result oriented which will help in attaining the ultimate goal.