Rural and Urban Development

RURAL DRINKING WATER SUPPLY

Rural drinking water supply is a State subject and has been included in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution among the subjects that may be entrusted to Panchayats by the States.
The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation is mandated to provide safe drinking water in all rural habitations.
To achieve this objective, the Ministry is implementing the flagship programme of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) to assist States in provision of drinking water supply to all rural habitats.
The Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) was started in 1972 to assist States and UTs with 100% grants-in-aid to implement drinking water supply schemes in problem villages.
A Mission approach was given to the entire programme when a Technology Mission on Drinking Water Management, named as the National Drinking Water Mission (NDWM) was introduced in
The NDWM was renamed as Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Mission (RGNDWM) in 1991 and the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation came into existence during August,
The revised guidelines are known as National Rural Drinking Water Programarne (NRDWP).

NATIONAL RURAL DRINKING WATER PROGRAMME (NRDWP)

The Centre is implementing the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) to support States and UTs with financial and technical assistance to implement drinking water supply schemes in all rural habitations. Objectives are:
to ensure provision of safe and adequate drinking water supply to all uncovered, partially covered and quality affected habitations in rural areas
to ensure that all schools and anganwadis have access to safe drinking water
to provide enabling support for PRIs and local communities for this purpose
enable rural communities to monitor and keep surveillance on their drinking water sources, water supply and initiate corrective action to have contaminants free water, etc.
The significant changes brought about in the NRDWP compared to the earlier ARWSP are :
Umbrella scheme subsuming Swajaldhara principles, Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance, CCDU, MIS etc.
ﬂexibility to States to fix their own service levels and to use the NRDWP fund as per their priority for coverage and quality components;
allocation for sustainability raised to 20% as 100% grant
10% incentives for States to decentralize the O&M to PRIS and provision of 5% funds for Support activities as part of the NRDWP main programme.