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Plan fund utilisation is also low for the state as a whole. Hence, many of the targets envisaged in SOCIAL SERVICE
the plan are not achieved, and the schemes as such are delayed. It leads to huge overruns in cost
and brings additional financial burden to the Government in successive years. The utilization of the
available resources for innovative programme is also negligible. Year wise State Plan outlay to the
sector (excluding LSGIs) and expenditure are provided in table below –

Table 4.10
Drinking Water and Sewerage – Total State Plan Outlay and Expenditure

Sl No Year Outlay Expenditure Exp as % of Outlay

1 2011-12 90897 47116.61 51.83

2 2012-13 75600 62211.34 82.29

3 2013-14 84900 55241 65.06

Issues and Concerns in Provision of Drinking Water

4.189 The primary concern for drinking water is whether there is enough water to address the
consumer demand, both at present and in future. Kerala Water Policy 2008 recognises the fact, and
has accorded the highest priority to the domestic use of water. Kerala is perceived to be abundant in
water, but due to multiple factors, it is also occasionally faced with the problem of scarcity, especially
in the case of drinking water. Appropriate interventions are the need of the hour in terms of water
management. Due to the multiple uses of water and its unique nature, any efforts in this direction
must be truly holistic involving the wide spectrum of stakeholders.

4.190 On the one hand, the demand for water has been increasing. On the other hand, due to
various factors, the supply of water has not kept pace with the demand, often leading to scarcity.
Though Kerala as a whole has not witnessed large scale scarcity in the recent years, there have
been instances of certain regions / locations facing shortage, or supply being constrained during
certain months of the year. It is now observed that the gap between the demand for and supply
of water has been widening over the years. The main supply side factors affecting drinking water
include the condition of water sources, storage capacity, climate change, deforestation, capacities
of the institutions engaged in supply of drinking water etc. The main demand side factors affecting
drinking water are increasing population and its distribution, level of urbanisation & industrialisation,
consumption pattern of the population etc.

4.191 Rivers form a major source of our drinking water supply schemes. Large scale pollution &
contamination, changes in the flow patterns, fall in the level of water etc are major issues. Water
bodies like ponds and lakes are also under threat. Changes in land use pattern have lead to
abandoning of water bodies and less water storage facility. Many such water bodies are encroached
upon and filled up for using land. Some others have been turned into sites for dumping waste. It is
observed that the rate at which ground water is being replenished is falling in Kerala. Ministry of
Water Resource has observed that the depth of ground water level in Kerala is falling. Fall in the
cultivable land, particularly under paddy is one of the major reasons for the low level of ground water
development in the state. This has had an adverse impact on the water level of wells in the state.
Water level in wells have been declining over the years. Recharge of potential resources through the
conservation of wetland is a pre-requisite for long term development of the state.

4.192 Climate change and rising sea level are expected to intensify the resource sustainability issue
in many water-stressed regions in Kerala by the way of reducing the annual supply of renewable
fresh water and promoting the intrusion of saline water into aquifers along sea coasts.

Economic Review 2014