Question : DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION FACILITIES IN RURAL SCHOOLS

(a) whether the ongoing National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) aims at providing safe drinking water to all the rural schools in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the funds provided by the Government for the purpose during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise and the number of schools covered under the NRDWP, State/UT- wise;

(d) the number of schools included in the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan/Swachh Bharat Mission in the country including Maharashtra State/UT-wise; and

(e) the funds sanctioned and released for these Schools, during the said period, State/UT-wise?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION(SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV)

(a) to (c) The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation provides technical and financial assistance to States supplementing their efforts in providing drinking water supply in rural areas including in rural schools. Under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) though funds are not separately earmarked for the purpose, States/UTs can provide drinking water supply facilities to schools by utilising NRDWP (Coverage) funds released to them.

Provision of drinking water in schools in rural areas which have been constructed prior to 2007 were dealt under erstwhile Accelerated Rural Water Supply Scheme (ARWSP) on a fund sharing basis of 50:50 between Centre and State. Those schools which are constructed after 2007 are dealt through funding from programmes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) . The fund sharing pattern under SSA is understood to be 65:35 between Centre and State. However, the responsibility of Operation & Maintenance of rural water supply assets in the schools rests with the State Department / Board dealing with rural water supply

As reported by the States on the Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the Ministry the coverage of rural schools during the last three years and current year is at Annexure-I

(d) Under earlier Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) programme, School Sanitation and Hygiene Education (SSHE) was a component which include provision of sanitation facilities for Boys and Girls in those government schools in the rural areas that were setup prior to 2007. State/ UT-wise number of school toilet constructed during each of the last three years and current year is Annexure-II. After launch of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) on 2nd October, 2014, schools toilets are to be provided by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

(e) Under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) though funds are not separately earmarked for the purpose, States/UTs can provide drinking water supply facilities to schools by utilising NRDWP (Coverage) funds released to them.

Under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) / Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) component-wise fund was not released. However Central share expenditure on School toilets during last 3 years and current year is at Annexure-III.