(a) whether the Government provides financial and other assistance for setting up of water treatment/purification plants in the country under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP);
(b) if so, the details thereof, State/UTwise during each of the last three years and the current year;
(c) the funds released to each State/UT and its utilisation during the said period; and
(d) the number of beneficiaries under this scheme?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION (SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV)
(a) & (b): Under the Centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India provides technical and financial assistance to States for providing safe drinking water to the rural population of the country through various schemes which inter-alia include water treatment / purification plants. The Ministry has published a handbook on drinking water treatment technologies and released to States for selection of technology for different contaminants by the States. As entered into the Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the Ministry, and as informed by the States as 1/3/2015, the treatment plants scheme, habitations and population benefited during the last 3 years and the current year is at Annexure-I. In addition, Reverse Osmosis (RO) is a water purification technology that can remove/ reduce salinity (total dissolved solids or chlorides) along with other chemical contaminations. As reported by States into the Integrated Management Information System of the Ministry and information obtained from States, the following States have installed RO plants. Sl. No. Name of the State Number of RO Plants installed 1 Andhra Pradesh 7 2 Haryana 1 3 Karnataka 121 4 Punjab 33 5 Rajasthan 350 6 Tamil Nadu 17 7 Punjab # 1,876
# : In Punjab, RO plants include treatment for other contaminations also, as reported by the State officials in a meeting held on 23/2/2015.
In respect of Rural Water Supply in the State of Tamil Nadu, water treatment plants for converting saline water into potable drinking water (Desalination plants) are operating in Ramanathapuram District. These desalination plants were installed during different years from 1990 to 1999. Among the 17 plants operating now, the plant at Narippaiyur is the major sea water based desalination plant installed with a capacity of 3.80MLD. All other are small plants with capacity ranging from 0.008MLD to 0.15MLD with local borewell sources.
However, the complete details of water treatment plants set up in different States are maintained at the State Government level. Further, as per the information known to the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, the details of major desalination plants set up are as given below: -
# The first experimental Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant at Kavarattiisland, Lakshadweep was commissioned by NIOT in 2005.
# NIOT commissioned an experimental, floating Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant of the coast off Chennai, with a capacity of 1,000,000 L (220,000 imp gal; 260,000 US gal)/day, in 2007 for Chennai urban people.
# This LTTD technology is used by NIOT successfully and they set up 2 more LTTD plants each of 1 lakh litres per day capacity in Agatti and Minicoy in Lakshadweep islands in 2012.
# A 100 MLD desalination plant was established in 2010 at the North Chennai Thermal Power Station Minjur by Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Chennai (CMWSSB). This is meant for Chennai urban people.
# Another 100 MLD Sea Water Reverse Osmosis technology plant was set up by CMWSSB, Chennai in 2013 at Nemmeli to cater drinking water needs of urban people of Chennai city.
(c): Under NRDWP, out of the funds released to States, they can utilize up to 67% of the funds for coverage and tackling water quality problems which inter-alia include treatment / purification plants wherever necessary. Further, 5% of NRDWP funds are earmarked for tackling chemical contamination and Japanese Encephalitis/ Acute Encephalitis Syndrome. The total funds released during the last 3 years and the current year till 1/3/2015 is at Annexure-II .
(d): The number of beneficiaries under the treatment plant scheme is given in Annexure-I.