WATER MANAGEMENT AND SANITATION
India has 18 per cent of the world's population but only 4 per cent of water resources. Climate change and an erratic monsoon have added to the water stress felt by farmers, industries, consumers and others.
1. Congress will expand the remit of the Ministry of Jal Shakti and bring all water-related activities and departments under one authority.
2. We will implement a nationwide plan to provide potable water in all cities, towns and village panchayats.
3. Water harvesting will be made mandatory. Desalination plants will be installed in all coastal areas. The use of recycled water will be promoted for non-drinking and industrial purposes.
4. Congress will pay special attention to access to water and democratic sharing of water. We will address these issues by focusing on storage in dams and water bodies, replenishing groundwater and creating a large participatory programme of water management involving the state governments, civil society organisations, farmers, panchayats and gram sabhas, and municipalities.
5. Our rivers are polluted because of the discharge of effluents into the rivers. Discharge of any kind of effluent into rivers will be prohibited by law. Panchayats and municipalities will be required by law to devise and implement schemes for disposal of effluents and waste.
6. Congress will end the evil of manual scavenging. Every manual scavenger will be rehabilitated, re-skilled, provided a job and assured a life of dignity and safety. The Prohibition of Manual Scavenging Act, 2013, will be strictly implemented and any person employing anyone for manual scavenging shall be punished. We will provide compensation of 30 lakh to families of sanitation workers deceased while at work. We will allocate sufficient funds to enable the procurement of machines that will clean sewers and septic tanks, and remove human waste. Free insurance will be provided to all sanitation workers.
7. In collaboration with state governments, a comprehensive programme of underground drainage and safe disposal of sewage will be implemented in all towns and municipalities in 10 years.