Concession to SC/ST habitations on Swajaldhara scheme

New Delhi, May 23 (UNI) The ministry of Rural Development has amended the guidelines for implementing Swajaldhara Scheme to ensure the participation of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe habitations in a major way in reforming the Rural Drinking Water Sector.

The Swajaldhara Scheme was launched in December 2002, by the Government for implementing community based rural water supply schemes involving Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). Under the Scheme, 90 per cent of the funds towards the project cost is provided by the Central government and the beneficiary group contributes the remaining 10 per cent. The community has to share the capital cost either in cash or kind or both with at least 50 per cent of the contribution in cash.

The amendment provides for extending the community contribution towards the capital cost of the scheme in the form of cash/kind/labour/land or a combination of this.

In the case of Scheduled Tribe areas and Scheduled Caste habitations (where scheduled caste population is more than 50 per cent of the total population) the community contribution could be in any form with no stipulation for contribution in cash. In case community contribution is more than 10 per cent of the scheme cost, the excess amount would be used as operation and maintenance fund.

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