The Government has taken the following steps to provide safe drinking water :-

i) Technical and financial assistance by the Ministry of Rural Development (Department of Drinking Water Supply) to the States under the centrally sponsored National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) to supplement the efforts of the States.

(ii) Additional central assistance by the Ministry of Urban Development under the State Sector Schemes of JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission) and UIDSSMT (Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns).

(iii) Exploration work by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), under the Ministry of Water Resources to find out ground water sources free from Arsenic contaminants and to provide technical guidance to the State agencies in tackling the problems of water quality and capacity building of personnel of State Drinking Water Supply agencies. CGWB also conducts mass awareness and water management training programmes in arsenic affected areas.

(iv) Support to the States by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), for improvement of health service delivery, which includes mitigation of health of risks due to water borne diseases

This information was given by the Minister of State for Water Resources, Shri Vincent H. Pala in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha