What is National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP)

Special emphasis was given on piped water supply in rural habitations during the 12th Five Year Plan, therefore the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation gave special emphasis on piped water supply with minimum water quality standard, which should be accessible at all times and in all situations.

National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP)

National Rural Drinking Water Programme was launched by "Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation" in 2013, the aim of the program is to provide every rural person with adequate safe water for drinking, cooking and other basic domestic needs on a sustainable basis.

States were asked to plan for setting up stand posts or household connections and cover habitations with piped water supply.

A project was also proposed by the Drinking Water & Sanitation Ministry, on setting up piped water supply system in Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh with the help of World Bank.

NRDWP, restructured in 2017

NRDWP, restructured in 2017 mandated 2 per cent earmarking of funds for Japanese Encephalitis (JE)/Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) affected areas.

A sum of Rs. 23,050 crore has been approved for the programme for the Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC) period 2017-18 to 2019-20 to make the scheme outcome-based, competitive and better monitored.

National Water Quality Sub-Mission (NWQSM) will address the urgent need for providing clean drinking water in about 28000 Arsenic & Fluoride affected habitations (already identified).

Issues in Implementation

The targets of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) are not fully achieved because of high implementation cost involved in bringing drinking water from distant safe sources, time taken for planning, designing, sanctioning, procuring, execution and commissioning of such schemes.

Central government has provided financial and technical assistance of Rs. 11000 crore in 2013-14 to States under the scheme, to supplement their efforts to provide adequate safe drinking water to the rural population.

An annual Action Plans (AAP) is also prepared by the states every year, to cover implementation of rural water supply schemes and other activities.

Way ahead States have to adopt improved Operation & Maintenance (O&M) methods to ensure sustainability of functioning of rural water supply schemes and their methods of Implementation.

The power with respect to Funds, Functions and Functionaries for operations and management for drinking water supply schemes should be devolution to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI).