Question : MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON DRINKING WATER

(a) whether the attention of the Government has been drawn to the press news-item captioned `States cold to Centre`s water plan` as reported in the Hindustan Times dated July 12, 2004;

(b) if so, whether the Union Government is proposing to sign Memorandum of Understanding with State Governments on various rural drinking water programmes;

(c) if so, the facts and details thereof;

(d) to what extent MoU with State Government is going to implement the various rural drinking water programmes effectively; and

(e) the names of the States which have not been responsive to the scheme stating the nature of differences in coming to an agreement with the Union Government for the drinking water scheme?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI A. NARENDRA)

(a) Yes, Sir.

(b) to (e) Para 4.2 of the Swajaldhara Guidelines stipulates that in order to avail of funds under Swajaldhara, the State Governments would be required to enter into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Drinking Water Supply, Ministry of Rural Development wherein the State Government would give their commitment to the reform principles in the water and sanitation sector.

Accordingly, Government of India have circulated a model draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to all the State Governments in November 2003. The MoU will be a State specific document, to be prepared taking into account the local context, specific requirements of the sector- particularly in respect of system and source sustainability, water quality, and strengths and weaknesses of the institutional structure in the State. The steps in the MoU process include preparation of the Sector Status Study; finalization of the State Vision Statement; preparation of comprehensive water and sanitation policy for the State; the Agreed Action Framework and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Government of India and preparation of detailed Annual Action Plan by the State Governments. The final MoU will be prepared in consultation with the State Government and will include an agreed action framework for implementing the reform initiative in a time bound manner in the rural drinking water supply and sanitation sector. The State Governments have been told that the MoU will provide the framework for all funding arrangements with Government of India and also external support agencies.

Presently, the State Governments of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have prepared the first draft of the Sector Status Study while other States have commenced action in this regard. The MoU will be signed only upon completion of the various steps in the MoU process indicated above and the implementation of the Agreed Action Framework will thereafter be monitored by independent monitors/supervisory missions.