National Rural Drinking Water Programme

With a major emphasis on ensuring sustainability of water availability in terms of adequacy, affordability, potability, convenience and equity, the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), a centrally sponsored Scheme was launched in 2009. The cost incurred on implementing the programme is decided to be shared between the Centre and the States in the ratio of 50:50. The Union Cabinet recently approved the restructuring and continuation of the programme. The primary objective of NRDWP is to provide every rural person with adequate safe water on a sustainable basis, for basic domestic needs such as cooking, drinking. Under the programme, water will be supplied with minimum quality standard, which is conveniently accessible at all times and in all situations.

The NRDWP programme is being restructured and continued in order to make it outcome based and competitive.
Restructuring the programme would ensure better monitoring with a greater focus on sustainability of the scheme itself to make sure that the rural population is provided with good quality service delivery. It will make programme competitive, flexible, result-oriented and competitive. It will also enable the Ministry work towards reaching the goal of increasing coverage of sustainable Piped Water Supply
Its focus will be on piped water supply, increase level of service delivery, thrust on coverage of water quality affected habitations, coverage of Open Defecation Free (ODF) declared villages, ‎Integrated Action Plan (IAP) districts, ‎Border Out Posts (BOP) with piped water supply and ‎Institutional set up for proper operation and maintenance of water supply assets etc.
It aims at reaching the goal of increasing coverage of sustainable piped water supply in the country.
All of the rural population throughout the length and breadth of this country will be covered under this programme.
The programme will run co terminus with the 14th Finance commission until March 2020.