Urban water availability as high as 91 pc: Maken

New Delhi, Dec 7 (UNI) About 91 per cent of the urban population has access to water supply as on March 31, 2004, Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken said today.

Admitting that the water situation was not "hundred per cent satisfactory", Mr Maken told the Rajya Sabha during Question Hour that urban water supply and sanitation being state subjects, it was the responsibility of the state government or urban local bodies to "plan, design and execute" these schemes.

Responding to supplementaries on the figures given claiming 100 per cent availability of water in the cities of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, the Minister admitted that these figures were provided by the state governments concerned.

Citing from the 2001 Census, he said of the 53 million urban households, 68 per cent were receiving tap water supply.

Replying to a question on the water availability in major cities of Rajasthan, the Minister said under the Urban Renewal Scheme it was the endeavour of his ministry to bring in urban local bodies for their involvement in the scheme.

Under the Centrally-sponsored Accelerated Urban Water Supply Programme, a total cost of Rs 12411 lakh for 72 projects had been sanctioned for Rajasthan of which 42 projects were reported to be completed and the remaining 25 were under implementation, he told the House.

UNI SD MIR HT1328