SECTOR REFORMS - COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN RURAL WATER SUPPLY PROGRAMME

3.1 Background

Water is today perceived by the rural public as a social right, to be provided free by the Government, rather than as a scarce resource which must be managed locally as a socio-economic good in order to ensure its effective use. This perception has been grown out of the fact that the present rural water supply systems are designed and executed by the Department/Boards and, imposed on end-users. Demand preferences of the people are not taken into account while executing the schemes. In other words, rural water supply programme till now has been adopting a supply driven approach. Experience has shown that the present approach has led to the failure of a large number of water supply systems/schemes due to poor operation and maintenance.

Now that substantial investment has been made in the sector and huge infrastructure and systems built up, it is paramount that they are made functional to a great degree to achieve sustainability. There is a general recognition that a transformation from a target based, supply-driven approach which pays little attention to the actual practices and/or preferences of the end users, to a demand-based approach where users get the service they want and are willing to pay for is urgently required. Implementation of a participatory demand driven approach will ensure that the public obtain the level of service they desire and can afford to pay. Further, full cost recovery of operations and maintenance and replacement costs will ensure the financial viability and sustainability of the schemes

The conditions under which people would be willing to maintain and operate water supply schemes are:-

· If they own the assets,

· If they have themselves installed the handpump, or being actively involved throughout,

· If they have been trained to do simple repairs,

· If they know the government will not maintain the asset,

· If they have sufficient funds for maintenance, and

· If they have to pay for O&M.

Hence, it is possible to institutionalise community based rural drinking water supply programme if the Panchayati Raj Institutions/local communities are empowered to generate resources and are trained and equipped to plan, implement, use, maintain and replace water supply schemes themselves in coordination with the Government agencies/Private Sector/NGOs.

3.2 Incentives to States for institutionalising community participation:

3.2.1 From the financial year 1999-2000 onwards, incentives would be given to the States which initiate steps for institutionalising community participation in the rural water supply programme in the form of additional funds, as indicated below:

(a) 20% of the annual outlay will be earmarked in accordance with the ARWSP criteria to those Sate Governments which keeping in view the principles of sector reform process discussed above, will implement the following broader elements:

· adoption of a demand-driven approach based on empowerment of villagers to ensure their full participation in the project through a decision making role in the choice of scheme design and management arrangement;

· focus on village level capacity building (Village Water and Sanitation Committees);

· ensure an integrated service delivery mechanism by streamlining the functions of the agencies involved in project implementation and;

· 10% (at least) capital cost sharing and 100% sharing of O&M cost by users. The proportion of capital cost shared should increase proportionately with increasing service demand. This contribution can be in the form of cash or kind (labour, land or material)

· Taking up of conservation measures for sustained supply of water through rainwater harvesting and ground water recharge structures.

(b) The share of the States which do not introduce the reforms will be given to the States implementing the reforms measures for coverage of NC/PC quality affected habitations as an incentive.

Explanation: 20% of the ARWSP central outlay will be earmarked and kept aside for implementation of the sector reforms (implementation of the pilot projects), and only the balance amount will be intimated to the respective states, as their allocation at the beginning of the financial year. The unutilised sector reform funds of any state would be given to the states reporting better implementation of sector reforms. If funds are still not fully utilised, the balance available funds would be distributed to all the eligible states as per the allocation criteria, as additional central assistance under ARWSP(Normal).

3.2.2 The State Governments are required to prepare projects incorporating the above elements as per the operational guidelines explained in Chapter –4, indicating institutional arrangements and sequencing of project activities.

3.2.3 States are now required to implement the project reports in the identified pilot districts in accordance with the project concept.

3.3 National Scheme Sanctioning Committee

A National Scheme Sanctioning Committee consisting of experts drawn from the sector/field will appraise the project and approve it for implementation. A six monthly visit by subject matter specialists/experts will review the implementation in accordance with the guidelines and recommend remedial action and release of funds.

3.4 Release of funds

3.4.1 For districts which have District Water & Sanitation Mission (DWSM) (PRAKALP) constituted as per Para 3.8.1.b, funds will be released directly to the District Water and Sanitation Mission which will have their own separate Bank accounts (SBI or its associate banks ) to receive and disburse the funds for project implementation.

For any alternative district level implementing agency constituted as per para 3.8.1.b funds would be directly released to them. The implementing agency is required to have a separate Bank account (SBI or its associate banks) to directly receive and disburse funds for project implementation.

3.4.2 30% of the funds will be released immediately after the approval of the National scheme Sanctioning Committee. Further releases will be made periodically depending upon the progress of implementation based on the recommendations of the experts visiting the projects.

3.5 The successful experiences of implementation of the projects in identified pilot districts will be replicated all over the State subsequently in the second phase.

3.6 Some States like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Mizoram, Goa, Kerala, etc. have already made a beginning in the concept of community participation in rural water supply programme. All States are required to endeavour to bring in this concept throughout the State outside the pilot districts also. Panchayati Raj Institutions and the user community should be encouraged to adopt the concept of community participation in rural water supply programme.

3.7 Gradually, over a period of time in all the districts of all the States/UTs community participation in rural water supply programme will be institutionalised. On completion of the projects, the States/UTs will take upon the responsibility to plan, approve and implement such projects based on their experience gained from implementing the pilot projects. Consequently ARWSP(Normal) may cease to exist as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. In order not to lose any time, States/UTs shall initiate activities for final adoption of the three principles of sector reforms in the rural water supply sector on the conclusion of the pilot projects during the implementation of the pilot project itself. Finally at the end of the 9th Plan, States will strive to strengthen the concept of community participation in rural water supply programme all over the country and continue to plan and implement rural water supply schemes on their own.

3.8 Institutional set up

3.8.1.a Constitution of Water and Sanitation Mission (WSM) at the State Level:

Ideally there should be a single department in the States/UTs looking after both water and sanitation. As a first step towards achieving this objective, it is proposed to have a Water and Sanitation Mission at the State/UT level. It shall be a registered society under the aegis of the Department/Board/ Nigam/ Authority/Agency implementing rural water supply programme in the State. It will be providing the operational flexibility to the States/UTs, so that the desired thrust is made available for an integrated implementation of institutionalising community participation under Rural Water Supply Programme and Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) under the Rural Sanitation Programme.

The State level Water and Sanitation Mission shall consist of :

i. an Apex Committee headed by the Chief Secretary/Additional Chief Secretary and Secretaries in-charge of PHED, Rural Development (RD), Panchayati Raj (PR), Finance, Health, Education, Information and Public Relations (I&PR) as members. Secretary(PHED) (or the Department concerned with rural water supply) shall be the nodal Secretary responsible for all the Mission activities and for convening the meetings of the Apex Committee. The Apex Committee shall meet atleast twice in a year.

ii. an Executive Committee shall be constituted by the Apex Committee and shall be headed by an officer of PHED (or the Department concerned with rural water supply), not below the rank of Joint Secretary, who shall be its Executive Officer. Officers from the Departments of Rural Development, PHED(Chief Engineer), Panchayati Raj, Health , Education, Social Welfare, Information and Public Relations shall be nominated by the respective State Departments and shall be the ex-officio members of the executive committee. Experts in the field of IEC, HRD, MIS, Media and NGOs not exceeding six, may be co-opted as members. It may be ensured that the strength of the Executive Committee does not exceed 15. The State HRD cells, IEC cells and MIS shall work within the State Water and Sanitation Mission.

iii. However, the States may continue with their existing institutional set up or constitute appropriate institutional set up as deemed fit, to supervise the implementation of the pilot projects at the State level, so as to demonstrate implementation of community based rural water supply programme in the pilot districts with a view to encourage PRIs to take up similar initiatives in other districts in conformity with the principles envisaged in the 73rd Constitution Amendment.

3.8.1.b Constitution of Water and Sanitation Mission at the District Level:

The District Water and Sanitation Mission(DWSM) constituted at the district level shall be called as “PRAKALP”, which shall be a registered society under the overall State laws and should function under the supervision, control and guidance of Zilla Parishad subject to the following:

(1) Wherever Panchayati Raj Institutions are firmly in place and are ready and willing to take up the responsibility of effective implementation of Sector Reform Project and the PRIs are strong enough to do so, they may be allowed to implement the project in those districts instead of the DWSM. In such districts constitution of DWSM may not be mandatory. However, the districts need to ensure that separate bank account in State Bank of India or any of its Associate Bank is opened to receive the central funds and are not mixed up with other funds provided to the Panchayati Raj Institutions for carrying out other activities. Such districts may ensure proper methodology for ensuring proper and accurate monitoring and utilisation of the funds and intimate the mechanism to the Dept. of Drinking Water Supply, Government of India.

(2) Districts which do not have a proper PRI set up in place and desire to supervise the working of the DWSM through alternative mechanism, may prepare a detailed proposal explaining the mechanism through which the project is intended to be supervised and submit the same to the RGNDWM for consideration.

The Governing Body shall invariably be headed by Chairman of Zilla Parishad. In Districts where Zilla Parishads have not been constituted and there is no Chairman in place, the Chairman of the District Planning Committee or the District Collector/Deputy Commissioner, as may be decided by the State Water & Sanitation Mission / State Govt / institutional set up created at the State level (as the case may be) will be the Chairman of the Governing Body. The members would be – all MPs/MLAs and MLCs of the District; Chairman of the Standing Committees of the Zilla Parishad; District Collector/Deputy Commissioner, District Officers of Education, Health, Panchayati Raj, Social Welfare, ICDS, PHED, Information and Public Relation; Project Director, DRDA. CEO of the Zilla Parishad would be the Member Secretary. The Governing Body shall meet atleast twice a year. In case of MPs / MLAs / MLCs of the district who are also Ministers in Central/State Governments, they may be allowed to depute one representative each on their behalf to the Governing Body of the District Water and Sanitation Mission.

The actual implementation of institutionalising community participation in rural water supply programme and TSC at District level would be done by the CEO of ZP/District Collector, as the case may be, and shall be the chairperson of the district level Water and Sanitation Committee(DWSC), comprising of the Executive Engineer of PHED/Executive Engineer, ZP; District Education Officer, District Health Officer (Civil Surgeon), Project Director DRDA, District Panchayati Raj Officer, District Social Welfare Officer, Community Development Project Officers (CDPOs of ICDS) and District Information & Public Relations Officer. NGOs (not exceeding 3 in number) shall be identified by the District Water & Sanitation Committees and co-opted into the Committee as members with the prior approval of the Government of India. The Executive Engineer of PHED/District Engineer of the ZP shall be the Member Secretary and the Drawing and Disbursing Officer. The Member Secretary shall ensure utilisation of the existing infrastructure with him for administrative support for day to-day functioning. No additional post shall be created for this purpose

3.8.1.c Once the strategy of the reforms is demonstrated successfully in the pilot districts through the Mission approach at the District Level, in future projects, the responsibility for implementation of this innovative concept in other districts can directly be discharged by PRIs in conformity with the principles envisaged in the 73rd Constitution Amendment.

3.8.1.d NGO Networking :

The three NGOs selected to be members of the District Water and Sanitation Committee shall be responsible for implementation of institutionalising Community participation in RWSP and TSC in the villages, through the networking of volunteers (motivators). Wherever good and active NGOs are not available in a district, the District Water & Sanitation Committee shall identify appropriate alternative mechanisms involving PRIs, youth, Anganwadis, NSS, Nehru Yuvak Kendras, NCC, Bharat Scouts and Guides etc.

Index