(a) the policy of the Government to provide drinking water facility in rural Schools;
(b) whether any targets have been fixed to provide drinking water in the schools during the last
five years plan;
(c) if so, the details thereof and the achievement made in this regard during the said period,
State/UT-wise;
(d) whether fixed targets have not been achieved in several States and if so, the details thereof
and the reasons therefor; and
(e) the steps taken/proposed to be taken to achieve targets?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)
(a) The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 stipulates that
the appropriate Government and the local authority shall provide infrastructure including safe and
adequate drinking water facility to all children, in the recognised schools under their respective
control across all States and Union Territories. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) programme,
supports creation and augmentation of infrastructural facilities including drinking water facility in
all school buildings through direct programme funding or in convergence with the schemes of
Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and also in
convergence with schemes/programmes of other Ministries/Departments in Central Government/
State Government. Under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), financial
assistance is provided to States and UTs for various activities including drinking water facilities for
new/upgradation and existing secondary schools. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation
provides technical and financial assistance to States under National Rural Drinking Water
Programme for supplementing their efforts in providing drinking water supply in rural areas
including schools.
(b) and (c) The requirement of infrastructural facilities in schools are worked out every year by
the respective State and Union Territory on incremental basis depending on their need and priority
and this is reflected in their Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B) of SSA and RMSA.
Sanctions and achievement regarding provision of drinking water facilities in schools
under SSA and RMSA programmes during the last five years are at Annexure.
(d) and (e) Since the inception of SSA in 2001 till 30.09.2016, 2.42 lakh drinking water
facilities have been sanctioned to States and UTs. Out of these 2.31 lakh (95.45%) drinking water
facilities have been provided.
Under RMSA, against sanction of 8888 drinking water facilities in secondary schools of 30
States and UTs, 7071 (79.56%) drinking water facilities have been completed.
Ministry of Human Resource Development monitors the construction works by States and
UTs online and also in various meetings i.e. State Education Secretaries Conference, Project
Approval Board meeting, Joint Review Missions, meeting of State Project Directors etc., the
progress is reviewed.
All States and UTs have been directed to ensure that all the schools in their respective
State/UT including those under the non-Government sector (private schools etc.) comply with the
provision of the RTE Act, 2009 which inter alia states that every school building should have safe
and adequate drinking water facility to all children.
Ministry of Panchayati Raj has also advised the Panchayati Raj Departments of all States in
March, 2016 to include inter alia the provision for drinking water systems and regular repair of
drinking water systems in schools, while preparing Gram Panchayat Development Plans. States and
UTs have also been advised that Parent Teacher Associations may be asked to approach the Gram
Panchayats and indicate the need for proper water supply and sanitation systems as per their priority
and also raise this in Gram Sabhas.
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