MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)
(a) Data on bacterial contamination of drinking water in canals, ponds, open wells, etc. is highly dynamic and difficult to maintain as a separate parameter. Therefore, the States have been advised to include disinfection in all such schemes before the same is provided as drinking water to the rural areas. The Ministry monitors five major chemical contaminants in drinking water sources closely viz., arsenic, fluoride, iron, salinity and nitrate. The State-wise number of such habitations which are yet to be provided with safe drinking water is at Annexure-A.
(b) The details and percentage of the rural population/habitations and tribal habitations covered under piped drinking water supply so far, State/UT-wise is Annexure-B. `
(c) Rural water supply is a State subject. This Ministry supplements the efforts of the States to provide drinking water supply by providing technical and financial assistance to the States under the centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), in rural areas of the country. The State Governments are vested with powers to select, plan and implement drinking water supply schemes under the NRDWP to cover more habitations with piped drinking water supply.
Under the Strategic Plan for rural drinking water supply for the period 2011-2022, covering the two Five Year Plan periods. The interim goal till 2017 i.e. by the end of 12lh Five Year plan period , is to cover 50% of all rural households with piped water supply, and 35% of rural households with household tap connections. The targets and achievements made so far during the first two years of the 12lh Five Year Plan period State/UT wise including Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, is at Annexure-C.
As on 1.4.2014, 47.45 % of the rural population have been covered with PWS schemes. Hence, the Ministry is well on track to achieve 50% coverage before the targeted year i.e 2017. So far as rural households with piped water connection, the States have been requested to focus on this during Annual Action Plan meetings.
(d) The funds earmarked/allocated for rural drinking water supply for the 12th Plan period is Rs 68,786 crores.
(e) The State/UT-wise number and percentage of rural households with flush toilets facilities within the premises as per Census2011 Is at Annexure-D.
(f) So far as rural households with piped water connection, the Stales have been requested to focus on this during Annual Action Plan meetings. Ministry started monitoring targets and achievements with respect to provision of piped water supply with individual household connection from the year 2013-14 only. As per the information entered by the States on the Integrated Management Information System (IM1S) of the Ministry the targets and achievement with respect to state-wise habitation coverage with piped water supply is already given at Annexure-C.
Government of India also administers through the States/UTs, the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) in the country, a comprehensive programme to ensure sanitation facilities in rural areas, including construction of toilets, with the main objective of eradicating the practice of open defecation and ensuring clean environment. The objective of NBA is to achieve sustainable behaviour change with provision of sanitary facilities in entire communities in a phased, saturation mode with `Nirmal Grams` as outcomes. The goal of NBA is to achieve 100% access to sanitation for all rural households by 2022.
Under NBA, the following steps have been taken for accelerated sanitation coverage :-
# In addition to Below Poverty Line (BPL) Households, provision of incentives for the construction of Individual Household Latrines (IHHL) extended to identified Above Poverty Line (APL) households (all SCs /STs, smalt and marginal farmers, landless labourers with homestead, physically handicapped and women-headed households).
# Financial incentive for construction of toilets has been raised for all eligible beneficiaries to Rs. 4600/- from the earlier amount of Rs 3200/- under NBA. In addition, upto Rs. 5400/- can be utilized under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for construction of the toilet along-with beneficiary contribution of Rs. 900/- the total unit cost of toilet is now Rs. 10,900/- {Rs 11,400/- for hilly and difficult areas).
# More emphasis on Information Education Communication (IEC) with earmarked 15% of the total outlay of district projects for IEC activities.
# A conjoint approach with National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) to ensure water availability for sanitation in Gram Panchayats.
# Focusing on convergence of rural sanitation (NBA) with programmes of associated Ministries including Health, School Education, Women and Child Development.
# Recasting the component of Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) to a project mode approach in convergence with MGNREGS.
# Increasing the Financial support for sanitation, the 12th Five Year Plan outlay has been fixed at Rs. 37159 crore, which is 468% higher than the 11th Five Year Plan Outlay of Rs. 6540 crore.
Download PDF Files
