Rural population in Fluoride affected habitations to get clean drinking water

NewsBharati    11-Nov-2017
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New Delhi, November 11: The reckless digging of bore-wells, huge water contamination has caused India’s 11.5 million people at high risk of fluorosis—a crippling bone disease due to lack of clean drinking water. The Health Ministry has identified at least 132 districts in 19 states severely affected by high fluoride content in drinking water, a leading cause of fluorosis. To ensure good quality of service to rural people, the cabinet has approved continuation and restructuring of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP). A sum of Rs. 23,050 crore has been approved for the programme.

 
 The ministry of health & family welfare has identified at least 132 districts in 19 states severely affected by high fluoride content in drinking water, a leading cause of fluorosis.

Uttar Pradesh has 75 districts, Madhya Pradesh 51, Bihar 38, and Rajasthan 33 districts whose people are at a very high risk of fluorosis.

Fluorosis, a chronic public health problem, is caused by excess intake of fluoride through drinking water or food products or industrial pollutants over a long period. It results in major health disorders like dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis and non-skeletal fluorosis.

National Rural Drinking Water Programme is to be continued co-terminus with the 14th Finance Commission cycle till March 2020. A new Sub-programme, National Water Quality Sub-Mission will address the urgent need for providing clean drinking water in about 28000 Arsenic & Fluoride affected habitations. Ministry of drinking water and sanitation started the programme in 2017.

Pre-financing for the agreed schemes, to the extent of half of the second instalment amount, will be made by the State Governments, which will be reimbursed later on from the central funding. If the State(s) fails to claim this amount before 30th November in the financial year, then, these funds will become a part of the common pool, which will be released to the high performing States, which have already pre-financed the requisite Government of India share on a first come first serve basis. Another half of the second instalment of funds will be released to the States based on the functional status of completed piped water supply schemes.
 
The main aim is to cover all rural population in Arsenic-Fluoride affected habitations with clean drinking water on a sustainable basis by March 2021. The programme will cover all the Rural Population across the country.