DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER SUPPLY

Let us all heed the Meghdootam of Rain-water harvesting and ensure clean and adequate Drinking water to every Citizen of this Country Atal Bihari Vajpayee

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Rural Water Supply Programme

Introduction
Provision of safe drinking water in the rural areas is the responsibility of the States. Funds are being provided for provision of the facility in the State budgets right from the First Five-Year Plan period. The Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme was introduced in 1972-73 by the Government of India (GOI), to assist the States and Union Territories (UTs) to accelerate the pace of coverage of drinking water supply. To ensure maximum inflow of scientific and technical input into the rural water supply sector to improve the performance, cost effectiveness of the ongoing

programmes, ensure adequate supply of safe drinking water and to provide focussed attention to the issue of sustainability of the sources and systems the entire programme was given a Mission approach. Accordingly in 1986 the Technology Mission on Drinking Water and Related Water Management called the "National Drinking Water Mission (NDWM)" was launched, by the Government of India as one of the five Societal Missions. The NDWM was renamed as the Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission (RGNDWM), in 1991. Further, in order to attain the goal of providing safe drinking water to all rural habitations of the country in five years in consonance with the National Agenda for Governance of the Government, a Department for Drinking Water Supply was created under the Ministry of Rural Development in October 1999.

Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP)

The Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) aims at providing safe and adequate drinking water facilities to the rural population by supplementing the efforts made by the State Governments/UTs under the State Sector Minimum Needs Programme (MNP).

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Objectives
The prime objectives of the ARWSP are:to ensure coverage of all rural habitations especially to reach the un-reached with access to safe drinking water; (b) to ensure Sustainability of the systems and sources; and (c) to tackle the problem of water quality in affected habitations and to preserve quality of water by institutionalising water quality monitoring and surveillance through a Catchment Area Approach. (a)

Norms
The following norms are being adopted for providing safe drinking water to rural population in the habitations: 40 litres of safe drinking water per capita 117

Womens participation in handpump maintenance

Community participation for safe and adequate drinking water

per day (lpcd) for human beings. 30 lpcd additionally for cattle in the Desert Development Programmes (DDP) areas. One handpump or standpost for every 250 persons. The water source should exist within the habitation / within 1.6 km in the plains and within 100 meters elevation in the hilly areas. Water is defined as safe if it is free from biological contamination (Guineaworm, cholera, typhoid, etc.) and chemical contamination (excess fluoride, brackishness, excess iron, arsenic, nitrates, etc.)

Tenth Finance Commission. Once the task of providing every habitation with safe drinking water source is completed as per the norms and priorities indicated above, in the entire State, the State Government may consider relaxation of norms with the prior approval of the Government of India, subject to the condition that beneficiaries of the relaxed norms are willing to share a part (which should not be less than 20%) of the capital cost and shoulder full responsibilities of subsequent O&M and replacement so as to meet their enhanced service expectations.

Priorities
To cover not covered (NC) habitations and to fully cover partially covered (PC) habitations getting less than 10 lpcd. Among them, priority may be given to the ones inhabited exclusively by SC/ST or having larger SC/ST population enumerated in the Status Report of 1994 (Survey) and resurveyed in 1996-97. Coverage of quality affected habitations with acute toxicity first and the others, later. Upgradation of source level of safe source habitations which get less than 40 lpcd water to the level of 40 lpcd. Coverage of schools and Anganwadis where safe drinking water sources could not be provided under the outlays allocated by the 118

Allocation Criteria
The criteria for allocation of ARWSP funds to the States w.e.f. 1-4-1999, as approved by the Government of India, is as follows: Table I
Weightage for 1. 2. Percentage (%) 40 Rural Population States under DDP, DPAP, HADP & special category hill States in terms of Rural Areas NC/PC Villages (at 2:1 ratio) Quality affected Villages Overall water resource availability (un-irrigated over irrigated area) Total

3. 4. 5.

35 10 5 10 100

The Sates/UTs have to earmark 25% as minimum outlay for SCs and 10% as minimum

outlay for STs, for taking up Water Supply Schemes exclusively for them. Allocation of funds to the States, based on the above criteria would be subject to the matching provision/expenditure by the States under the respective State Sector MNP. Releases under the ARWSP would not exceed the provision for Rural Water Supply made by the State Governments under their MNP.

The Central outlay for the Rural Water Supply Sector for 2000-2001 is Rs.1960 crores. Statewise allocation of funds/releases under ARWSP and State Sector MNP for 2000-2001 is at Annexures XXVII & XXVIII respectively.

Policy Initative
The Ministry has revamped the Rural Water Supply Programme which, with a view aims to usher in reforms by institutionalising community participation in the rural water supply sector with a view to gradually replace the Governmentoriented, Centralised, supply-driven and nonpeople participating Rural Water Supply Programme by a people, oriented, decentralised, demand-driven and community-based Rural Water Supply Programme. 20% of the annual ARWSP outlay would be given to those State Governments who undertake community-based Rural Water Supply Programmes by adopting the demand-driven approach based on empowerment of villagers to ensure their full participation in the project, through a decision-making role in the choice of key design and management arrangements, and part of capital cost and 100% O&M cost to be borne by the users. The reforms, are, at this stage being implemented through specific projects in 58 pilot districts identified by the State Governments. These projects are mostly aimed to implement a new concept, not only a physical Scheme. These are process projects. The projects are mainly IEC-based and would commence with start-up activities and a heavy component of awareness and HRD campaigns. The IEC campaigns would be aimed at educating the rural people about the need for them to actively participate in the programme, various technologies available, it's capital cost, Operation & Maintenance's cost and requirement of replacement costs, etc., of each of the possible technology options and the benefits of the people planning, funding, implementing, owning, operating, maintaining and replacing the water supply Schemes of their choice. The HRD campaigns would be aimed at giving the rural population the requisite training to carry out the responsibilities indicated

Physical Progress
More than 3.50 million handpumps installed. Over 1 lakh piped water supply Schemes installed. Coverage of habitations: As per information received from the States/ UTs till November, 2000, the status of coverage of rural habitations is as under: Table 2
Type of coverage Total Fully Covered (FC) Partially Covered (PC) Not Covered (NC) No. of Percentage of habitations total habitations covered 1422664 1203323 195426 23915 84.58 13.74 1.68

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Statement showing the Statewise details is given at Annexure-XLVIII.

Financial Progress
Government has invested more than about Rs.30,000 crores for the programme since its inception. Details regarding the investment made in the sector during the Ninth Plan are as under: Table 3
(Rs. in crore) Year MNP Release 1997-98 1998-99 99-2000 2000-2001 Total * provisional 1299.91 1610.64 1717.91 1326.19 5954.65 ARWSP Expenditure 1676.44 1896.35 2456.16 988.23* 7013.74

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above. The physical work under the project would commence only subsequently on the basis of the awareness and demand generated by the campaigns in the first stage. Even though, the requirement of funds is likely to be slightly higher, it is expected that it would be a one-time investment as by the time the project is completed the beneficiaries would be sufficiently equipped to operate and manage their rural water supply Schemes and to plan, fund and implement the replacement Schemes after the expiry of the life of the existing Schemes Project in respect of fifty seven districts identified by the State Governments for implementing the sector reform projects on a pilot basis, have already been sanctioned for implementation. A statement giving the names of 57 pilot districts approved for implementation of sector reforms, amount sanctioned and the GOI share is given at Annexure-XXVI.

Involvement of Women
Since women are the principal beneficiaries of this programme, it is of crucial importance that women are involved at all the stages of Rural Water Supply Schemes, particularly while making decisions on the location of the standpost/ spot sources in the villages/habitations. Information about sources of water should be obtained from women by the surveyors of the Schemes. They should also be involved in the following manner:a. At least 30% of handpump mistries under NHRD, TRYSEM and other training Schemes, should be women of the local areas/ habitations as they can take better care of the operation and maintenance of the handpump Schemes than others. b. There should be women caretakers for handpumps in the habitations. c. Certificate about satisfactory completion of the Schemes may be obtained from women groups in the habitations. d. Prominent women from the habitation should be represented on the Village Level Water Monitoring Committees. Experience has shown that where women are involved in such consultation and in the maintenance of the spot sources, the performance of the water 120

supply systems has been effective. This aspect should be kept in view and ensured by the implementing agencies at the time of formulation, implementation and maintenance of the Schemes. Each Scheme/project for Rural Water Supply should mention the extent of the involvement of women. An active role for women has been envisaged in the implementation of Sector Reform Projects also as explained below: i. The Sector Reform project envisages empowerment of community through VWSCs and GPs. It is a well known fact that collection of drinking water in a village is primarily done by women. These women can thus involve themselves in implementation of water supply Schemes by functioning in close coordination with the VWSCs. ii. To strengthen women's participation in the project activities, specially in the area of sustainability of the system, formation of user groups comprising exclusively of women in each village may be taken up. These women groups shall act as subcommittees functioning in close coordination with VWSCs. Since this approach is new, different methodologies based on local situation may be evolved. Lessons learnt from other programmes may be useful. iii. The overall objective is to improve the userowned sustainable water supply maintenance system and related sanitation conditions through empowering the women from all sections of the society into the mainstream of water supply maintenance process and the immediate objectives are: to create awareness about the importance of community participation in establishing sustainable water supply maintenance system and maintaining a clean environment ; to sensitise women to take active role in the process of maintenance of water supply and sanitation systems; to create a sense of empowerment and ownership responsibilities among the users;

to improve the knowledge and transfer technical skills on the preventive maintenance/minor repairs; to identify suitable means for fund raising process and ensuring maintenance fund availability at all times; to create awareness on handling and management of water supply.

objective of providing safe drinking water facilities in the water quality affected habitations. The details are as under: (i) Eradication of Guineaworm Guineaworm is a water-borne disease caused by dracunculiasis medinensis. Efforts to control this disease were started in early eighties. It is a good example of how the coordinated efforts of organisations like National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), RGNDWM, International organisations like WHO, UNICEF, and State Health & PHE departments could attack and eradicate an otherwise difficult problem. India has been certified as free from Guineaworm disease in the meeting of International Commission for Certification of Drancunclasis (ICCDE) held at World Health Organization, Geneva, during 15th17th Febuary, 2000. (ii) Control of Brackishness Excess brackishness causes the problem of taste and has laxative effects. Control measures include either providing alternate sources free from brackishness or supply of water with total dissolved solids within permissible limit of 1500

Externally Aided Projects

The World Bank aided RWS&S Projects in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka are progressing satisfactorily. Fresh RWS&S project proposals received from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have been forwarded to the World Bank by the Department of Economic Affairs for possible funding. World Bank has already agreed to support a Rural Water Supply & Sanitation (RWS&S) project in Kerala.

R.W.S. Sector Supportive Activities/Programmes (a) Sub-missions:

The Sub-missions were initiated with the

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Mechanics repairing a handpump in a community maintenance project

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ppm (parts per million) by treating brackish water with the help of treatment processes like reverse osmosis, electro dialysis, etc. For treating brackish water, 194 desalination plants were approved by the RGNDWM and 150 plants have been commissioned. (iii) Removal of Excess Iron Excess iron in the drinking water is prevalent in the North-Eastern States. Consumption of water with excess iron causes constipation accompanied by other physiological disorders. Control measures include providing alternate sources free from iron or treating iron contaminated water (to within permissible limit 1 ppm) with the help of iron removal plants. For treating iron contaminated water, 16415 plants were approved and 9355 plants have already been commissioned. (iv) Control of Fluorosis Excess fluoride in drinking water causes dental and skeletal fluorosis. The problem is prevalent in 150 districts of 17 States of the country. Control measures include providing alternate sources free from fluoride or treating fluoride contaminated water (to within permissible limit 1.5 ppm) with the help of treatment processes such as Nalgonda technique or activated alumina process. So far, 499 plants (fill and draw type and handpump attached type) have been approved by the Mission of which 427 plants have been installed. (v) Control of Arsenic Contamination of ground water with Arsenic was first noticed in 8 districts of West Bengal, in the early 80s. The first attempt to tackle the problem was made by the Government of India in 1988 by sanctioning an investigation project. Thereafter, the Government of India has sanctioned several R&D projects as well as field oriented projects in the arsenic affected areas. Among the various techniques in vogue for removal of arsenic, two methods, viz., (i) Coprecipitation technique and (ii) Absorption technique, are the most common. The PHED and other organisations like the All India Institute

of Hygiene and Public Health (AIIH&PH), Calcutta (based on co-precipitation technique) and Bengal College of Engineering, Howrah (based on absorption technique) have also installed arsenic removal plants which are reported to be functioning without any major complaints. Besides, domestic filters have also been developed by these organisations. During 1999-2000, out of 3 ongoing sanctioned Schemes under Submission on Control of Arsenic contamination in West Bengal, the Phase I of the Piped Water Supply Project sanctioned for Malda district has become operational. The other two are under progress. (vi) Ensuring Sustainability This is an important Sub-mission for the success of water supply Schemes, on a long-term basis. CGWB and NGRI have been engaged in the programme since the inception of the Mission. With the introduction of scientific methodologies for scientific source finding, the success rate of wells has gone up considerably. Under the water conservation measures, projects worth Rs.30.75 crores were approved against which Rs.26.10 crores has been released. Further, these State Governments have now been advised that 25% of the fund utilised for Submission Programmes should be used for submission on sustainability. (vii) Water Quality Surveillance For testing of the water quality and for water quality surveillance, 457 laboratories have been approved and 300 have been established till date. It is proposed to provide one laboratory in each district of the country. Twenty-two mobile laboratories have also been provided to various states.

(b) Human Resource Development (HRD):

Sustainable management of rural water supply needs not only the engineering systems but also community participation and empowerment, together with adequately trained professional and sensitised planners, administrators and decisionmakers. To build up a human resource base of 122

appropriately trained personnel to serve the needs of the rural water supply and sanitation sector, the National Human Resource Development Programme (NHRDP) was launched in 1994. The major objectives of the NHRDP are (a) to train at least one beneficiary, especially women, at the grassroots level in each village of the country, (b) improve the productivity of sector professionals through specialised courses and (c) to introduce rural orientation in technical education sector coupled with publication of manuals on rural water supply and rural sanitation. The implementation of the NHRDP involves: Creating a resource pool of trainers for training grassroots level trainees in the villages through the Indian Training Network (ITN). Establishing HRD Cells in all the States to undertake HRD activities in the State, based on trainer assessment. Networking with NGOs, Technical Teachers' Training Institute, community polytechnics, training institutes/ organizations, etc. Conducting specialised courses and experience sharing workshops for sector professionals, in India and abroad. Evolving courses, for introduction at diploma and degree levels, to introduce rural orientation and appropriate technologies and practices. Upto November, 2000, twenty-four States have been accorded approvals and financial sanction by the Mission for the establishment of HRD Cells and conducting of training programmes. All the States, except one, have initiated action to undertake HRD activities under NHRDP.

technological inputs into the Mission programmes. The following activities have been already carried out: Formulation of the policy Guidelines for the R&D support. Identification of priority areas for R&D support Establishment of an R&D cell in the Mission. Formation of Research Advisory Committee (RAC) with Secretary (DWS) as Chairman. Eminent scientists and others are members and oversee the R&D activities. Establishment of Documentation and Information Centre (DIC) for R&D related activities. Networking with large number of universities, institutions, organisations and the concerned State departments for identifying and solving required research problems. The Mission has, so far, sanctioned about 103 R&D project proposals ranging from 6 months to 3 years duration. 36 new project proposals have been received during the current year.

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(d) Documentation and Information Centre (DIC)

A lot of valuable data and information is being generated under the sector-related R&D projects being carried out by Universities, R&D organisations, and NGOs. A number of field Level activities that are in progress add to the available information base by way of their findings. There are also a number of developing countries that are engaged in R&D activities leading towards low cost, appropriate rural technologies for rural environment. The need for dissemination of and access to information on drinking water and sanitation globally was recognised and the Mission entrusted the responsibility of conceiving, establishing and maintaining a Documentation and Information Centre on drinking water and sanitation to the Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC), a national laboratory under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Government of India. 123

(c) Research and Development (R&D)

It was realised that the objective of providing necessary scientific and technological inputs required to improve the performance, costeffectiveness and management practices of the ongoing programmes, the programmes would not be achieved without the R&D input and support. A series of R&D initiatives have therefore been taken to provide the necessary scientific and

It is planned to put the information resources of the Centre on the Web. Information products are also planned on CD ROMs for the benefit of those who do not have Internet Web access facility.

(e) Information, Education and Communication (IEC)

The awareness creation campaign programme of the Mission, based on its IEC strategy, is being implemented in the selected pilot districts of 20 States, at a total approved cost of Rs2411.70 lakhs (on a 50:50 cost sharing between the Government of India and the State Governments), to be released in two installments. The main objective of the campaign programme is to inculcate hygiene sense and bring about a change in the concept/attitude of the people towards water and sanitation. The implementation stage of the programme in the States is at diffierent Levels. The IEC activities to be undertaken at the National Level, as envisaged in the Guidelines, are being carried out. 10 IEC booklets in all regional languages on various water and sanitation related issues have been prepared and published and slogans/messages related to water and sanitation have been printed on the post cards and inland letter cards in Hindi, English and ten other regional languages. Funds have been allocated to the States to meet the expenditure towards similar campaigns related to water and sanitation.

Ministry of Urban Employment & Poverty Alleviation, GOI, in collaboration with INAMT-UNIDO (International Centre for Advanced Manufacturing Technology and Ministry of External Affairs through Indian High Commission, Tanzania. The Department of Drinking Water Supply participated in the Indian International Trade Fair, 2000, held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, during 14-27th November, 2000. An impressive display, projecting achievements made in the Rural Water Supply Sector, technologies being used in the sector, model on rainwater harvesting structures, groundwater recharging structures and matters related to water quality problems and sector reforms being implemented in the sector was exhibited in the Rural Development Pavilion.

(g) Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

The implementation of the programmes in the States is being monitored and evaluated at the National Level. The M&E focuses on the following aspects: Coverage of the Not Covered (NC) habitations - status, Partially or Fully Covered (PC/FC). Full Coverage of PC villages. Population coverage, categorywise i.e. SC/ ST and general. Periodic studies are carried out by NonGovernment agencies to evaluate the Schemes and give an unbiased assessment of the implementation/coverage status.

(f)

Exhibition
The Department of Drinking Water Supply participated in the National Conference and Exhibition on Disaster Management organised by the National Conference and Exhibition on Disaster Management held on 11-12th October, 2000 at Teen Murti Bhavan, New Delhi. The Department of Drinking Water Supply also participated in the India Exhibition and Conference on Technologies for Low Cost Housing for African Region, held from 16th July, 2000, at Dar-Es Salaam, Tanzania. This was organised by Building Material & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC), 124

(h) Management Information System/Computerisation

The Management Information System (MIS) is extremely important for planning, effective monitoring of the implementation of the various components of the programme. It also facilitates the availability of data not only to the Central and State Governments and people's representatives, but also to the users. A quick

to and fro flow of information between the Mission and the States (including formations up to the Division and Sub-division Level) is proposed to be established by using the state-of-the-art Information Technology (IT). It will be ensured that public has access to habitationwise data through NIC and there is effective communication system using NICNET. The MIS project consists of Selection of hardware, Selection of operating system, Preparation of a Software Requirement Specifications (SRS) Document, and Development of customised software and implementation of software. Under MIS, computerization proposals for the States/UTs, costing Rs.6097.91 lakhs and for training, Rs.272.95 lakhs have already been sanctioned and are under implementation.

PMGY-Rural Drinking Water

In order to achieve the objective of sustainable human development at the village Level, the Government of India has decided to introduce a new initiative in the form of Prime Minister's Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY) from the year 20002001. The PMGY envisages Additional Central Assistance (ACA) for selected basic minimum services in order to focus on certain priority areas of the Government. The PMGY has five sectors, namely, primary education, primary health, rural shelter, rural drinking water and nutrition. For rural drinking water component of the PMGY,

Department of Drinking Water Supply, Ministry of Rural Development is the nodal department in the Government of India. Further, a minimum 15% of the total ACA to each sector has been fixed and States/UTs have been given powers to decide about the remaining 25% among the five sectors as per their priority. The PMGY-Rural Drinking Water Programme is to be implemented in accordance with the Guidelines issued by the Government of India. Under this Scheme, minimum 25% of the total allocation for the component is to be utilised by the respective States/UTs on projects/Schemes for water conservation, water harvesting, water recharge and sustainability of the drinking water sources in respect of DDP/DPAP areas, overexploited dark/grey blocks and other water stress/ drought affected areas and the balance 75% of the allocation can be used for tackling water quality and coverage of Not-Covered (NC) and Partially Covered (PC) habitations. It has been envisaged that these projects/ Schemes would be sanctioned by the same State Level Project/Scheme Sanctioning Committee as in the case of ARWSP. To launch the Scheme, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure have released an amount of Rs.184.89 crores, as first instalment of the ACA for PMGYRural Drinking Water.

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