Shri L.K. Advani,
Deputy Prime Minister said that community participation and active
involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions in ensuring rural drinking
water supply is the need of the hour. In this context, initiatives
taken by the Ministry of Rural Development under "Swajaldhara"
programme is a powerful step. It will provide drinking water to
all water scarce villages in the shortest possible time and at
least cost.
Inaugurating the
Conference of State Ministers on Rural Drinking Water Supply here
today, Shri Advani told that year 2003 is being declared as Year
of the Fresh Water by the United Nations. This signifies the importance
of proper management of fresh water reserves. The Government has
set the goal to provide potable water to all rural habitations
by April 2004. Shri Advani underlined the fact that significant
investment has been made by the Central as well as State Governments,
which has led to the creation of about 37 lakh handpumps and 1.45
lakh piped water supply schemes. This has enabled to provide at
least 40 litres of water per capita per day in 12.80 lakhs rural
habitations. Still, about 1.25 lakh habitations have less than
40 litres per capita per day. Shri Advani said if all the handpumps
and piped water supply schemes installed in 14 lakh habitations
in the country were to be maintained, the State Governments would
need Rs.5000 crore. The States alone cannot meet this requirement.
The services of Panchayats and community based organizations are
needed for maintenance of water resources, he further added. Shri
Advani informed that proposal to interconnect rivers is being
finetuned by the Government.
Delivering Presidential
address Shri Shanta Kumar, Minister for Rural Development, said
in order to ensure Sustainability of Water Supply System, a demand
driven reform initiatives based on community participation has
been implemented in 67 districts of the country with an outlay
of Rs.2060 crore. It has been decided to expand this initiative
in all parts of the country. Shri Kumar highlighted that this
initiative called "Swajaldhara" is being launched
by the Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee on 25th
December 2002. This launching of "Swajaldhara"
won’t be a symbolic one, but actual implementation will start
in all those villages, Panchayats, Blocks where people come forward
to own, implement and maintain their water sources as per their
choice. Under the scheme, the Government of India will meet 90%
of the capital cost and the community will have to contribute
10% of the capital cost (5% in case of SC/ST dominated villages).
"Swajaldhara" project aims to achieve self-sufficiency
in drinking water in rural India. This is in line with decentralization
of planning and management as enshrined in the 73rd
Constitutional Amendment. Shri Kumar hoped that works can be started
in villages from 25th December 2002. All the proposals, which
are received before 15th December, will be finalized
by the Ministry. He further pointed out that Government has invested
more than Rs.38,000 crore at constant prices, which is much more
that Rs.100,000 crore at current price for creating drinking water
sources and systems in rural India.
Shri Shanta Kumar
highlighted that Government of India and State Governments are
funding water supply schemes on 50:50 basis. In the present financial
difficulties of the States, they are not sometimes able to contribute
50 per cent. In "Swajaldhara", Centre is increasing
its share from 50 per cent to 90 per cent. There is no financial
burden on the State Governments. They are only to help the implementation
of this Scheme.
Shri Om Prakash Chautala,
Chief Minister of Haryana, Ministers of State for Rural Development
Shri Subhash Maharia and Shri Annasaheb M.K. Patil, Secretary,
Drinking Water Supply Shri S.S. Meenakshisundaram, Secretary,
Rural Development
Shri M. Shankar and
external agencies like World Bank, UNICEF, WHO participated in
the Conference.
