(a) whether the Government is implementing National Drinking Water Security Pilot Projects in the country;
(b) if so, the parameters adopted therefor, State/UT-wise; and
(c) the funds allocated/released and spent under these projects during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION(SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV)
(a) Yes Madam . The Government is implementing National Drinking Water Security Pilot Projects in 15 Blocks in 11 States.
(b) The criteria for choosing a block/unit for the National Drinking Water Security Pilot Project is over exploitation of groundwater. As per the report of Central Groundwater Board there are 1071 over exploited blocks/units as on 31.3.2011 . Out of this , 15 such blocks/units for the Pilot project were chosen by the State Governments in different agro-climatic zones. The detailed list of the pilot blocks are attached in Annexure-I.
(c ) The funds are allocated/released and spent under these projects under two categories viz. hardware costs and software costs.
Hardware costs- Costs for hardware are being met from various sources (Natinal Rural Drinking Water Programme Sustainability funds, Swatchh Bharat Mission , Integrated Watershed Development Programme , Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme & other Funds) for hardware activities such as creation of sustainability structures, water supply schemes. etc. The estimated cost per Block is about Rs. 14 Crores. Since the hardware component activities are yet to be commenced in most of the blocks, the expenditure incurred has not been reported by the States so far.
Software costs- Costs for software are being met from NRDWP Support Component for software activities such as awareness generation, capacity building, Support Organization costs, community monitoring and equipment costs, etc. The total expenditure under software component in these blocks during the last two years and this year till date as reported by the States is at Annexure-II