Question : DEMAND AND SUPPLY OF DRINKING WATER

(a) the details of the rural habitations/ villages covered/ uncovered with the facility of safe drinking water in the country, State-wise;

(b) the present demand/ availability and actual supply of drinking water in the country alongwith per capita requirement of water in each State, State-wise;

(c) whether the Government has set any target and chalked out any plan/strategy to tackle the impending crisis and meet the increasing demand of drinking water in the coming years;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the total funds sanctioned/released and utilized during the last three years to achieve the objectives of the drinking water programmes, year-wise and State-wise;

(e) whether the Government has received complaints regarding irregularities in utilizing of funds allocated for the provision of drinking water in States; and

(f) if so, the State-wise details and the action taken thereon alongwith the steps taken to provide safe drinking water in uncovered areas and achieve the fixed target within a stipulated time frame?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (MS. AGATHA SANGMA)

(a) & (b): As reported by the States in the online Integrated Management Information System (IMIS), State-wise status of coverage of population with provision of potable drinking water facilities as per prescribed norms, is at Annex-I. 40 liters per capita per day (lpcd) in non-Desert Development Programme (DDP) areas and an additional 30 lpcd potable water to meet the requirement of livestock in DDP areas is the minimum requirement. However, States are free to set their own higher norms for drinking water supply keeping in view the prevailing conditions in the State.

(c) & (d): As such, no major crisis of drinking water is reported. Nevertheless to enable the rural communities to have access to and use potable drinking water, Government of India is implementing Bharat Nirman - rural drinking water wherein all uncovered, slipped-back and quality-affected habitations have been targeted to be covered by 2012. Year-wise and state-wise funds sanctioned/ released and reported utilization under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) for the last three years is at Annex - II.

(e) & (f): Water is a State subject. Powers to plan, approve, implement and monitor rural water supply schemes are vested with the States. Thus, States are responsible for addressing complaints related to water supply. Accordingly, complaints, if any, are sent to the States for necessary action.

Under NRDWP, State Governments have been requested to prepare Annual Action Plan to cover the remaining uncovered and quality affected habitations on priority. Further, while implementing the programme, habitations wherein the entire population is not getting adequate quantity of safe drinking water as well as SC, ST and minority dominated habitations are to be given priority.