MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)
(a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the table of the House.
Statement referred to in the reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 155 (15th Position) due for answer on 17.07.2014
(a) The per capita availability of water in the country was 1816 cubic meters as per 2001 Census which was reduced to 1545 cubic meters as per 2011 Census as reported by Ministry of Water Resources , Government of India. Per capita availability of drinking water in the country is not monitored by the Ministry .At present under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) guidelines, the per capita minimum norm for drinking water is 40 litres per capita per day (ipcd).The States may however, fix their own higher norms based on water availability, demand , capital cost involved affordability etc.
(b) The Ministry monitors the availability of drinking water in rural areas of the country in terms of habitations .The present status of drinking water supply in terms of fully/ partially covered and quality affected habitations in the country States/UTs wise is at Annexure-1.
(c) Drinking Water Supply is a Stale subject. Under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) , this Ministry provides financial and technical assistance to States to supplement their efforts to provide adequate safe drinking water to rural population. The details of the funds allocation , sanctioned and utilized by the States during the last three years and the current year as per the Integrated Management Information System {JMIS) of the Ministry , State/UT wise is at Annexure-11.
(d) Some States were not able to fully utilise the funds released to them last year and also during previous years. The status of funds remaining unutilized by the States/UTs during the last three years is at Annexure-lll.
The reasons for some Stales not being able to spend the amounts released to them may be attributed to delays in procurement processes, taking up multi-village schemes that require 2-3 years for completion, imposition of mode! conduct code due to declaration of elections /bye elections etc.
Various mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that the States are able to utilize the funds released to them. The Slate Governments are required to prepare an Annual Action Plan in advance to implement various components and activities of the NRDWP. They have to mark the targeted habitations and provide details of works, schemes and activities in the on-iine IMJS. Coverage and progress data is also to be entered in the on-line IMIS. Further, Senior OlTicers/Area Officers/Technical Officers tour (lie Slates to assess the implementation of the Programme.
(e) The Ministry has prepared a Strategic Plan for rural drinking water supply for the period 2011-2022, covering the two Five Year Plan periods, which stresses on extending the piped water supply to more households in the rural areas. The interim goal till 2017, is to cover 50% of all rural households with piped water supply, and 35% of rural households with household tap connections. By 2022, the goal is to cover 90% rural households with piped water supply and with 80% having household tap connections. To achieve this, the Ministry does the following:
(i) Focus on coverage of Partially Covered habitations.
(ii) Focus on coverage of Water Quality affected habitations with safe drinking water.
(iii) Focus on providing drinking water to rural population through piped water supply.
(iv) Motivating rural population to take tap connections to their households.
The Ministry also conducts meetings of the Secretaries in charge of rural water supply, regional review meetings, video-conferencing, etc. through which implementation of NRDWP is monitored.
Download PDF Files
