Question : Water Purification Technology

(a) whether the Government has any scheme to ensure the availability of potable water in the rural areas of the country;
(b) whether the Government proposes to adopt any latest technology for purifying and converting the underground water and river water into potable water;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government proposes to provide financial and latest technical assistance to the States keeping in view the scarcity of potable water in the country; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(SHRI S.S. AHLUWALIA)

(a) to (e) : 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 Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation has set up a High Level Expert Committee in 2014 on Rural Drinking and Sanitation under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, Ex. Director General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India to examine the different technologies for treatment of various contaminants in drinking water. However, adoption of the technologies suggested by the Committee is only suggestive in nature for the States because choice of the technologies rests totally with the States.

Provision for providing safe drinking water to rural habitations of the country, funds as under has been provided / planned:
1. Rs. 7,050 Crore in 2017-18
2. Rs. 7,000 Crore in 2018-19 (Budgetary Estimate)
3. Rs.10,000Crore in 2019-20 (as per Medium Term Expenditure Framework Statement laid before Parliament in August,2017).
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