(a) the details of the States where the presence of fluorides exceeds the permissible levels prescribed for ground water by the Bureau of Indian Standards; and
(b) the steps being taken by the Government to address this problem to enable the people living in these States get flouride free drinking water?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION
(SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)
(a) State-wise number of fluoride affected habitations ( more than permissible level prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standards for drinking water) as reported by the States into Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the Ministry as on 10th March, 2017 is at Annexure-I.
(b) Rural drinking water supply is a state subject. This Ministry supplements the efforts of the States by providing them with technical and financial assistance through the centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) for improving the coverage of clean drinking water to rural population. It is the State Governments who plan, design, execute and operate schemes for providing safe drinking water.
Up to 67% fund allocated to the States under NRDWP can be utilized for coverage and tackling water quality problems. Further, 5% of the NRDWP funds are earmarked for Water Quality and allocated to those States with habitations affected by excess chemical contamination and with high priority districts affected by Japanese Encephalitis/Acute Encephalitis Syndrome.
States have been asked to focus on providing piped water supply schemes from safe and perennial surface water source in water quality affected habitations. As immediate measures, States have been provided an amount of Rs. 800 Crores in Mar 2016 as 100% grant by Government of India on the recommendation of NITI Aayog to provide 8-10 litres per capita per day of safe drinking water in arsenic and fluoride affected habitations for drinking and cooking purposes, as short term measures through Community Water Purification Plants. In addition, funds to the tune of Rs.100 Crore each are also provided for tackling arsenic and fluoride problems in West Bengal and Rajasthan respectively for the last mile connectivity in commissioning surface water based piped water supply schemes.
In addition to this, the Ministry has formulated a National Water Quality Sub-Mission for focus funding to schemes meant for mitigating arsenic and fluoride contamination on 50 : 50 cost sharing basis between centre and state and 90:10 for North-Eastern & Himalayan States preferably through surface water based piped water supply. The fundamental objective of Sub-Mission is to provide focused funding ring-fenced to only arsenic and fluoride affected population. Under this program, Rs. 814.14 Crore have been released to 15 States to complete ongoing schemes.