Flaws in implementation of Rural Drinking Water Programme
Expresses concern over no response to earlier communiqué
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 19: Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has sought Action Taken Report from Jammu and Kashmir Government on the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India findings whereby it had painted dismal scenario vis-à-vis implementation of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) in this State.
In its Report No.15 of 2018 relating to performance audit of National Rural Drinking Water Programme of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation for the period between 2012 and 2017, which was tabled in the Parliament on August 7, 2018, the Comptroller and Auditor General had pointed out shortcomings in 34 paragraphs in respect of Jammu and Kashmir State.
The supreme audit institution of the country had also made a number of recommendations so as to overcome deficiencies by the Jammu and Kashmir Government and to achieve the intended objective of the scheme.
“Thereafter, the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation vide communication dated August 21, 2018 had asked the State Government to go through the report, take necessary corrective and preventive actions and send Action Taken Report (ATR) on 34 audit paras to the Ministry by September 4, 2018”, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
However, neither the State Government acted on the recommendations of the CAG nor submitted Action Taken Report to the Union Ministry within the stipulated time-frame. Now, taking serious note of the same the Union Ministry has dashed a fresh communication to the State asking for prompt submission of Action Taken Report for onward submission to the supreme audit institution of the country for its appraisal, sources further said.
The Ministry has sought to know whether the State Government has started water security planning at the village, district and State levels to optimize the use of water resources within the constraints of financial and human resources in order to meet basic needs, they said.
“The State Government is also required to furnish information vis-à-vis holding periodic meetings of the State Water and Sanitation Mission as the CAG had pointed out that in J&K Mission met only once during 2012-17”, sources informed.
As per the guidelines of NRDWP, the State Water and Sanitation Mission was required to identify reputed technical institutions in consultation with the Union Ministry for appointment as State Technical Agency (STA) for providing technical support in planning and design of rural water supply schemes with emphasis on sustainability of the source and assist in evaluation of major and complicated water supply schemes.
“The CAG had pointed out that in J&K no State Technical Agency was appointed and now Union Ministry wants to know whether any step has been taken in this regard by the concerned authorities”, sources said.
The CAG had also revealed that no prioritization was given to the habitations where less than 25 per cent and 25 to 50 per cent population had access to adequate safe drinking water in blatant violation of NRDWP guidelines. It had also been pointed out by the CAG that in J&K Community Water Purification Plants were not installed in any of the quality affected habitations to provide safe drinking water.
Moreover, the Strategic Plan (2011-22) envisaged that works related to sustainability structures included in the sustainability plans should be taken up and financed in convergence with other related programmes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and Watershed Development Programmes.
However, the CAG had noticed that construction of sustainability structures was not being undertaken in convergence with other related programmes in Jammu and Kashmir.
NRDWP guidelines provide for use of the Ministry’s O&M Manual by the States for preparation of a State specific O&M Manual. The Ministry’s Manual of O&M envisages preparation of O&M plan containing procedures for routine tasks, checks and inspections at set intervals for every major unit and for each scheme as a whole. However, audit observed that scheme-wise O&M Plans for routine tasks, checks and inspections were not prepared in J&K, sources said.
As per the CAG report, J&K has also failed to come up with a mechanism for authentication and validation of data entered in the Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) developed by the Union Ministry to enable authorities at all levels across India to monitor progress of the various components under the programme including coverage of rural habitations, schools and Anganwadis.
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