National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with 50: 50 fund sharing between the Centre and the States.

• It was started in 2009, with a major emphasis on ensuring sustainability (source) of water availability in terms of potability, adequacy, convenience, affordability and equity.
• The aim and objective of the NRDWP is to provide every rural person with adequate safe water for drinking, cooking and other basic domestic needs on a sustainable basis, with a minimum water quality standard, which should be conveniently accessible at all times and in all situations.
• Achieving this aim and objective is a continuous process.

Why in news?

• The Union Cabinet has accorded its approval for continuation and restructuring of National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP).
• The move is aimed to make NRDWP outcome-based, competitive and better monitored with increased focus on sustainability (functionality) of schemes to ensure good quality service delivery to the rural population.
• The programme will cover all the Rural Population across the country.
• The restructuring will make the programme flexible, result-oriented, competitive, and will enable the Ministry towards to reach the goal of increasing coverage of sustainable Piped Water Supply.

Source:PIB