Central funds under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRWDP) will be allocated on the basis of performance of states, Minister of State for Water and Sanitation SS Ahluwalia said today.
A day-long workshop was today organised for representatives of various states to share their views on the implementation of the Cabinet decision taken last week to make the programme competitive and outcome-based.
The Cabinet had last week approved restructuring of the NRDWP, with increased focus on sustainability of schemes to ensure good quality service delivery to the rural population.
"States will have to first spend their own money on the implementation of the central scheme and only then they will be able to avail the second instalment from the Centre. The second instalment of funds will be allocated on the basis of performance of states," Ahluwalia told reporters.
Under the restructured NRDWP, states have been given more flexibility in utilisation of the NRDWP funds by reducing the number of components under the programme.
Pre-financing for the agreed schemes, to the extent of half of the second instalment amount, will be made by state governments, which will be reimbursed later from the central funding.
"The proposed amendments will make the programme flexible, result oriented, competitive and will enable the ministry to reach the goal of increasing the coverage of sustainable piped water supply," the minister said.
A sum of Rs 23,050 crore has been approved by the Cabinet for the programme for 2017-18 to 2019-20.
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