(a) the most problematic districts in various parts of country including Uttar Pradesh which are suffering from the problem of scarcity and quality of drinking water;
(b) the measures taken by the Union Government to overcome this problem; and
(c) the number of villages and blocks in Uttar Pradesh with 100 per cent sanitation facilities, district-wise?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(SHRI S.S.AHLUWALIA)
(a) Under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), information regarding coverage of rural water supply is maintained in terms of Fully Covered habitations (i.e. getting more than 40 litres per capita per day safe drinking water), Partially Covered habitations (i.e. getting less than 40 litre per capita per day safe drinking water) and Quality Affected habitations (i.e. containing at least one contaminantlike Arsenic, Fluoride, Iron etc.). The habitations coming under partially covered and quality affected category can be considered as problematic areas in terms of rural drinking water supply. With this classification, state-wise percentage of coverage of habitations is at Annexure-I. As on 19th March, 2018, State-wise(including Uttar Pradesh) number of districts affected by Arsenic, Fluoride, Iron, Salinity, Nitrate and Heavy metal as reported by the States into Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the Ministry is at Annexure-II.
(b) Rural drinking water supply is a state subject. For improving the coverage of safe drinking water to rural population, 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). It is the State Government who plan, design, approve, execute and operate & maintain the schemes for providing safe drinking water to rural population. The funds provided to the States under NRDWP can be utilized for coverage and tackling water quality problems with priority to arsenic and fluoride affected habitations. To deal with arsenic and fluoride contamination, with the recommendation of NITI Aayog, Government of India had released Rs 1,000 crore in March 2016 for commissioning of Community Water Purification Plants (CWPPs) and surface water based piped water supply schemes. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation had launched the National Water Quality Sub-Mission (NWQSM) on 22nd March 2017 under NRDWP to provide safe drinking water to about 28,000 arsenic / fluoride affected habitations. As on 19th March, 2018, Rs. 2814.13 Crore has been released to arsenic / fluoride affected states under NWQSM.
(c) District-wise, no. of villages and blocks have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) having 100 percent sanitation facilities is at Annexure-3.