Government launches Swajal Scheme in 115 Aspirational districts

Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation has launched Swajal Scheme in 115 Aspirational districts of India to provide clean drinking water. It will involve outlay of Rs. 700 crores through flexi-funds under existing National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) budget.

Swajal Scheme

Swajal is community owned drinking water scheme or programme for sustained drinking water supply. Under it, 90% of project cost is taken care by the Government and remaining 10% is contributed by beneficiary community. The operations and management of the project is taken care by the local villagers. Under this scheme, government aims to provide villages with piped water supply powered by harnessing solar energy. Moreover, hundreds of rural technicians will be trained under this scheme for operation and maintenance of Swajal units.

Aspirational districts

The Union Government had selected 115 backward (aspirational) districts for rapid transformation by 2022 in line with Government’s vision to create ‘New India’. NITI Aayog had selected these districts on six socio-economic parameters, pertaining to health and nutrition, education, financial inclusion and skill development, agriculture and water resources and basic infrastructure. Under this initiative, Government focuses closely on improving people’s ability to participate fully in burgeoning economy
These 115 backward districts include 35 districts affected by Left Wing Extremists (LWE) violence, 55 districts just affected by LWE and another 15 including districts in Jammu and Kashmir and northeast affected by terrorism. Government has embarked upon major policy initiative for rapid transformation of these 115 districts that are lagging on specific development parameters. For this government will leverage Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), aided by technology to bring radical transformation of these aspirational districts

Month: Current Affairs - June, 2018