Discover how the National Water Supply and Sanitation Program is revolutionizing water security in India through initiatives like Swajaldhara and Bharat Nirman, focusing on safe drinking water and sanitation for rural and urban populations.
The National Water Supply and Sanitation Program was launched in 1954 with the ambitious goal of providing safe drinking water and sanitation facilities to every rural and urban household in India. Over the decades, this program has undergone significant transformations, introducing key initiatives like the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Program, Swajaldhara, and Bharat Nirman to address the critical water and sanitation needs of the nation.
Table of Contents
National Water Supply and Sanitation Program:
Launch Year: 1954
Aim:
- To provide safe drinking water and drainage facilities to rural and urban populations in India.
Key Developments:
- Accelerated Rural Water Supply Program (1972): Supplemented the National Water Supply and Sanitation Program, later included in the Minimum Needs Program during the 5th Five-Year Plan.
- Problem Villages:
- Criteria for selection included lack of safe water within 1.6 km or at a depth of 15 m, presence of toxic elements (e.g., salinity, iron, fluorides), or risk of cholera.
Swajaldhara (2002):
- A community-led participatory program emphasizing the empowerment of villagers, ownership by panchayats, and conservation measures.
- Revised in 2009 as the National Rural Drinking Water Program.
Bharat Nirman (2005):
- Focused on building rural infrastructure, particularly water quality.
- Implemented in two phases: Phase-I (2005-06 to 2008-09) and Phase-II (2009-10 to 2011-12).
12th Five-Year Plan Initiatives:
- Aim to cover all rural households with 70 liters per capita per day (lpcd) of piped safe drinking water.
- 50% of the rural population should have access to water within household premises or within 100 m.
- Target of 30% individual household connections.
Rural Sanitation Program:
- Swachh Bharat Mission (2014): Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to achieve clean and Nirmal Gram Panchayats.
- Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA):
- Accelerate rural sanitation coverage.
- Improve the quality of life and promote hygiene in schools and anganwadi centers.
- Focus on solid and liquid waste management for overall cleanliness.
Principles:
- Provision of Individual Household Latrines (IHHL) for both Below Poverty Line (BPL) and identified Above Poverty Line (APL) households within a Gram Panchayat.