Drinking Water and Sanitation Grants on Day 3 of Budget Session

Lok Sabha today discussed the Demands for Grants of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. During the discussion members highlighted key issues and challenges in improving access to sanitation and safe drinking water. They pointed out the need to ensure maintenance of infrastructure created under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Gramin), in addition to creating new infrastructure.

Chaudhary Birender Singh, the Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation replied to the debate and the passed the Demands for Grants. The Minister reaffirmed the government’s goal to provide quality drinking water by 2022, with 90% piped water to the rural population. Replying to the concerns of MPs regarding budget allocation, the Minister stated that the basic responsibility was with the States as sanitation and drinking water are in the state list of the constitution. The Minister committed to help states get external funding for providing bulk surface water.

The Standing Committee's Report on the Demands for Grants of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation was submitted on Monday. The Committee pointed out that for the National Rural Drinking Water Programme, during 2014-15,out of 1,14,479 habitations proposed to be covered, only 69,111 were actually covered and out of 22562 quality-affected habitations, 8,195 were actually covered up to December 2014. The Committee recommended that the Ministry take steps to address these issues relating to continuing challenges in providing safe drinking water, in collaboration with states.

Addressing the issue of poor access to sanitation, the Committee recommended that priority should be give to bring about behavioural change in the rural population through undertaking awareness campaigns.