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Mitigation and Remedy of Groundwater Arsenic Menace in India

Mitigation and Remedy of Groundwater Arsenic Menace in India

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<strong>Mitigation</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Remedy</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Groundwater</strong> <strong>Arsenic</strong> <strong>Menace</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>India</strong> : A Vision Documenttechnological <strong>in</strong>puts to improve performance, cost effectiveness <strong>and</strong> management practices <strong>of</strong>ongo<strong>in</strong>g programmes. Further a new <strong>in</strong>itiative <strong>in</strong> the form <strong>of</strong> Pradhan Mantry Gramodaya Yojana(PMGY) for Rural Dr<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g water started from 2000-2001 provides scope for tak<strong>in</strong>g up Projects/schemes on susta<strong>in</strong>ability. The rationale <strong>of</strong> fund<strong>in</strong>g should be based on follow<strong>in</strong>g factors:• Compet<strong>in</strong>g dem<strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> groundwater for irrigation, <strong>in</strong>dustrial <strong>and</strong> other purposes,• Excessive withdrawal <strong>of</strong> ground water without tak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to consideration the recharge,• Low electricity tariff for agricultural <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustrial use,• Lack <strong>of</strong> scientific <strong>in</strong>put <strong>and</strong> management <strong>of</strong> ground water,• Misuse <strong>of</strong> precious water <strong>and</strong> treat<strong>in</strong>g it as a free, ever last<strong>in</strong>g commodity,• Lack <strong>of</strong> susta<strong>in</strong>ability pr<strong>in</strong>ciple <strong>in</strong> withdrawal <strong>of</strong> ground water etc.Under PMGY-Rural Dr<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g Water <strong>in</strong> water stressed area 25% fund <strong>of</strong> sub-mission programme<strong>of</strong> ARWSP has been earmarked for tak<strong>in</strong>g up projects /schemes based on ra<strong>in</strong>water harvest<strong>in</strong>g,artificial recharge <strong>and</strong> susta<strong>in</strong>ability.8.2.3 National Rural Employment Guarantee Act-2005 (NREGA).The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act-2005 (NREGA), operationalized underthe M<strong>in</strong>istry <strong>of</strong> Rural Development, Department <strong>of</strong> Rural Development, Government <strong>of</strong> <strong>India</strong>,has the objective to enhance livelihood security <strong>in</strong> rural areas by provid<strong>in</strong>g at least 100 days <strong>of</strong>guaranteed wage employment <strong>in</strong> a f<strong>in</strong>ancial year to every household, whose adult membersvolunteer to do un-skilled manual work. In addition, the Act also has provision <strong>of</strong> semi-skilledwages <strong>in</strong> the form <strong>of</strong> mate with educational requirements between class-5 <strong>and</strong> class-8. Thef<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g patterns <strong>of</strong> wages as mentioned <strong>in</strong> the NREGA are as follows: the Central Govt. willbear; (a) entire cost <strong>of</strong> un-skilled manual workers, (b) 75 percent <strong>of</strong> the cost <strong>of</strong> material <strong>and</strong>wages for skilled <strong>and</strong> semi-skilled workers, <strong>and</strong> (c) adm<strong>in</strong>istrative expenses as may bedeterm<strong>in</strong>ed by the Central Govt. While the State Govt. will bear: (a) 25 percent <strong>of</strong> the cost <strong>of</strong>material <strong>and</strong> wages for skilled <strong>and</strong> semi-skilled workers, <strong>and</strong> (b) adm<strong>in</strong>istrative expenses <strong>of</strong> theState Employment Guarantee Council.One <strong>of</strong> the goals <strong>of</strong> the NREGA is the new way <strong>of</strong> do<strong>in</strong>g bus<strong>in</strong>ess, as a model <strong>of</strong>governance reform anchored on the pr<strong>in</strong>ciples <strong>of</strong> transparency <strong>and</strong> grass root democracy.Water conservation <strong>and</strong> water harvest<strong>in</strong>g is one <strong>of</strong> the works envisaged <strong>in</strong> the NREGA. The keystakeholders are: wage seekers, Gram Sabha, Panchyati Raj Institutions, Programme Officer atthe Block level, District Programme Coord<strong>in</strong>ator, State Government, M<strong>in</strong>istry <strong>of</strong> RuralDevelopment. The operational aspects, rules <strong>of</strong> the NREGA <strong>and</strong> roles <strong>of</strong> Stakeholders are welldef<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> the Act.NIH & CGWB 149

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