PRIME MINISTER TO LAUNCH NEW INITIATIVE IN RURAL DRINKING WATER "SWAJALDHARA" TOMORROW

---

In order to ensure effective implementation of water supply schemes, Sector Reforms programme of the Rural Development Ministry has been extended from 67 districts in 26 states to all over the country. This new initiative of the Rural Development Ministry has been named as Swajaldhara. The Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee will launch Swajaldhara project tomorrow. Swajaldhara project aims to achieve self-sufficiency in drinking water in rural areas. The launching of Swajaldhara won’t be a symbolic one, but actual implementation will start with 882 projects covering 8 states with a total outlay of Rs.87 crores. These 8 states are Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. These project proposals involve mini pipe water supply, bore well, tube well, water harvesting and rejuvenation of water bodies. This is in line with decentralization of planning and management as enshrined in the 73^rd Constitutional Amendment.

The Swajaldhara programme will have the following key elements:

(i) Partial capital cost sharing to the extent of the 10 per cent of capital cost by the communities upfront in cash (5 percent in case of gram panchayats/villages where at least 50 percent of the population is SC and ST).

(ii) Demand-driven and community participation approach;

(iii) Panchayats/communities to plan, implement, operate, maintain and manage all drinking water schemes;

(iv) Full ownership of drinking water assets with Gram Panchayats; and

(v) Full Operation and Maintenance (O&M) by the users/Panchayats. Gram Panchayats and Blocks adopting the reforms principles will be eligible for

Swajaldhara projects.

Presently, the Government of India is funding water supply schemes up to 50 percent and state Governments are to contribute the remaining amount. In Swajaldhara, Ministry of Rural Development is increasing its share from 50 percent to 90 percent. There is no financial burden on the State Governments. They are only to help the implementation of the scheme.