(a) whether there is delay or incomplete works under the drinking water and sanitation schemes/projects in the country including Andhra Pradesh and Odisha;
(b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise; and
(c) the reasons therefor and the action taken by the Union Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)
(a) to (c) Under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), the Government provides financial and technical assistance to States to supplement their efforts to provide adequate safe drinking water to the rural population. The States have been delegated the powers to select, approve and implement the drinking water supply projects. This Ministry does not monitors/maintains the data regarding number of delayed/ incomplete works under the drinking water and sanitation schemes/ projects in the country. However, as per the information entered by the States in the Integrated Information Management System (IMIS) of the Ministry as on 23.07.2017, there are 69,054 ongoing drinking water projects in different States of the country. The State-wise details are given in Annexure-1. Similarly, in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha there are 369 and 5,519 ongoing rural drinking water supply schemes respectively.
Generally, drinking water projects like Hand Pump/ Bore well are completed within a year and multi village piped water schemes take time between 3 to 5 years. Some of the reasons for delay in commissioning of water supply schemes are:
1) Delay in disbursal of funds from the State Finance Department to the State implementing agencies.
2) Delay in physical progress of schemes for various reasons as under:
a. Contractual problems including arbitration and litigations / public unrest and protests.
b. Statutory clearances / permissions unavailable from respective authorities, Source related problems,
c. Non-availability / Possession problems of land,
d. Source related problems
e. Electricity / Power connection not available,
f. Material not available / material out of production,
g. Disputes while laying pipeline below / over ground,
h. Transport problems / inaccessibility due to inclement weather / natural calamity,
States are advised to complete these projects in time during review meetings/ annual action plan meetings/ video conferences by the Ministry on a regular basis.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) was launched on 2nd October, 2014 with the aim to attain a Swachh Bharat by 2nd October 2019. The incentive for latrine is Rs. 12000 and is provided to the BPL households and identified Above Poverty Line (APL). Under SBM(G), the Government provides financial and technical assistance to States to supplement their efforts to provide sanitation facilities to the rural population. State-wise, Sanitation Coverage as on 2.10.2014 and 24.7.2017, Individual household latrines (IHHLs) constructed since 2.10.2014 and percentage of Open Defecation Free (ODF) villages is at Annexure-2. Under SBM(G), the target to become ODF is 02-10-2019,and there is no issue of delay in completion of projects.