(a) the manner in which the Government ensures that grants sanctioned to States for providing safe drinking water and sanitation facilities in rural areas are utilized in the right manner and within prescribed time period;
(b) whether the Government has taken action or issued warning to States for misuse or non-utilisation of funds; and
(c) if so, the details thereof during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)
(a) to (c ) Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) provides financial and technical assistance to States / UTs for providing safe drinking water to rural areas of the country. Under NRDWP, funds to the States are released in two instalments out of which the 2nd instalment is released to States only after submission of Utilization Certificate for at least 60% utilization of available funds along with the Audited Statement of Accounts for the previous financial year. States who do not incur the minimum stipulated expenditure are not released their 2nd instalment of funds for that financial year.
States are also required to furnish component-wise utilization certificate of funds released to them and this ensures that the funds are used for the purpose for which they have been allocated. If any discrepancy is noticed , the State is asked to furnish clarification with regard to this and further release of funds to that State is stopped till a suitable explanation / clarification is received . Further, the States are also asked to enter the expenditure figures along with the physical achievements in the online monitoring portal of the Ministry. Hence, the Ministry ensures the proper utilization of funds released to the States under NRDWP. As and when required, States are asked to expedite their utilization of funds for proper coverage of rural habitations.
In the sanction order for release of funds to States the conditions of release and instructions with regard to its utilization are clearly mentioned . States are asked to utilize the funds for the purpose only for which the funds are released. States are also asked to adhere to the NRDWP guidelines for proper utilization of funds.
The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) (SBM(G)) has been launched on 2nd October, 2014, which aims at attaining Swachh Bharat by 2nd October 2019. The Government provides technical guidance to the States to ensure proper implementation of the programme. This includes capacity building programmes, regular monitoring through meetings and data analysis and evaluations, including third party evaluations. In order to ensure that States observe better financial discipline, a specific provision has been made in the SBM (G) guidelines that higher unspent balance in States automatically reduces their eligibility for further fund release in the subsequent year.
The Government regularly takes up the issue of financial discipline with the States.