(a) whether Kerala is one of the States with lowest per capita access to safe drinking water in the country;
(b) if so, whether the Government is monitoring the situation of deteriorating supply of drinking water in the event of drought situation in the State and if so, thedetails thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(c) whether his Ministry proposes to provide financial assistance to the State under the calamity component of the National Rural Drinking Water Programme and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor? |
| ANSWER |
MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)
(a) As per the data reported by the States on Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of this Ministry with respect to status of coverage in terms of availability of at least 40 litres per capita per day safe drinking water, Kerala has the lowest coverage. % of population residing in Fully Covered Habitation (i.e. getting more than 40 litre per capita par day safe drinking water) is 22.06 %.
(b) & (c) This Ministry is monitoring the situation and accordingly advises the state government to prioritize for completing various ongoing schemes under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) for improving the coverage and supplementing through the funding from the state budget. Further by taking cognizance of the predictions of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), this Ministry use to advise concerned states to take immediate steps to tackle the scarcity of drinking water as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) meant for such natural calamities. The States may also take use of flexi fund to the extent of 25 % of every releases under NRDWP made to the States in such situations.
Moreover, under NRDWP, there is also a provision for assisting the States in the event of Natural Calamity which inter-alia includes drought. 2% of the NRDWP allocation is set aside for any natural calamity including drought. On the declaration of drought, Inter Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) visits the affected States and gives its recommendations regarding the quantum of assistance to be given. Funds are thereafter released to State with the approval of a High level Committee (HLC) constituted in the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, during the current financial year, as on 17.07.2017, no recommendation of HLC has been received, and accordingly, no funds have been released to the State Government of Kerala under this component. |
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