Institutional Change : Scaling Up Rural Water Supply Program

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "Institutional Change : Scaling Up Rural Water Supply Program"

Transcription

1 Institutional Change : Scaling Up Rural Water Supply Program Indian Experience Presentation at Water Week by Rakesh Behari, Joint Secretary, Govt. of India

2 Indian Scenario State subject devolved to Panchayati Raj Financial assistance by the Centre under ARWSP Over Rs. 400 billion ($ 8.9 billion) invested in 3.7 million handpumps, 145,000 piped water supply schemes Rapid growth in demand temporal and spatial shortages Equity in coverage, sustainability of sources and systems, ground water depletion and emerging water quality problems are the main issues

3 Increasing Investment Billion US $ st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th Till date Five Year Plans

4 Coverage Status (as on ) TOTAL NUMBER OF RURAL HABITATIONS - 1,422, million (5.56%) million (0.53%) million (93.91%) Fully Covered Partially Covered Not Covered

5 Water Quality Problems Chemical contaminants Geogenic Fluoride Arsenic Iron Salinity Nitrates Biological contaminants - Anthropogenic Bacteria/viruses Discharge of untreated/partially treated effluents, sewage Excessive use of fertilizers

6 No. of Quality Affected habitations Total No. of Quality Affected Habitations 216, , ,988 32, Fluoride Arsenic Salinity Iron Nitrate Others

7 Water Source Problems High dependence on ground water (85%) Over extraction of ground water for irrigation Uncontrolled deforestation Neglect of traditional practices and systems, including rain water harvesting Inadequate integrated water management and watershed development Emerging water quality problems

8 Sustainability of systems Systems become prematurely defunct due to poor operation and maintenance Annual O&M cost of assets created under ARWSP is estimated at $ 445 million per annum Community involvement necessary for users satisfaction and proper maintenance of assets Introduction of reforms in rural drinking water sector in March capital cost sharing (10%), full responsibility for O&M by community 20% of ARWSP funds earmarked for reform projects

9 Sector Reform Projects paradigm shift Govt. Centralized People Decentralized local govt. Supply driven Demand driven 67 projects in 26 states, project outlay $ 458 million 57,996 schemes sanctioned; 35,511 completed; 22,767 taken over by community for O&M 1.86 million households participating, community contribution $ 22 million

10 Success Stories Community contracting in rural water supply Swajal Project Women self-help group leads the way in a tribal community Sundargarh SRP Communities in Kerala recognize the economic value of water Ensuring quality control through community participation - Karnataka Public private community partnerships in Tripura

11 Swajaldhara Reforms initiative scaled up throughout the country in 2002 as Swajaldhara program Incorporates the basic reform principles Demand responsive Community led Participatory 10% capital cost & full O&M cost borne by users Community/GP free to levy water tariff Swajaldhara to become the major program of GOI 20% ceiling on reform projects is to be removed

12 Sanitation scenario in rural India As per 2001 Census overall 36% (urban-73%, rural-22% ) Only 15% of primary schools have toilets Persistent high Infant Mortality Rate 400 to 500 thousand children below five years of age die due to diarrhea annually Central Rural Sanitation Program (CRSP) launched in 1986 limited success Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) launched in 1999 on reforms principles

13 TSC Strategies & Principles Demand driven, participatory approach Greater emphasis on attitudes and behavioral change through IEC Shift from high to low subsidy, with a range of technological options Implementation of TSC with district as a unit Incentive to poorest of poor and community Focus on school sanitation & hygiene education

14 Agenda for Reforms Swajaldhara and TSC - vehicles of reforms in water and sanitation sectors Execution of MOUs between State Govts. And Govt. of India Review of funding pattern of schemes and allocation criteria of central assistance Capacity building of PRIs and community level orgns Sector wide approach by pooling in resources of Restructuring of rural water supply departments in States

15 Principles of reforms Non-negotiable Community participation with a decision making role Partial Capital cost sharing in cash or/and kind 100% responsibility of O&M by users Movement from low to no subsidy Integration of drinking water, sanitation, health and hygiene programs Negotiable Policy, institutional and financial frameworks

16 Memorandum of Understanding The main instrument for institutionalizing reforms State specific document with an Agreed Action Framework Lays down framework for engagement of all stakeholders in water and sanitation sector Provides effective monitoring and evaluation arrangements Financial incentives and disincentives for State Govts. Focus on policy, institutional and financial aspects

17 MOU Policy Framework Vision statement with specific goals Comprehensive policy for Water and Sanitation sector Delineation of roles of State Government/Nodal Department/ Panchayati Raj Institutions Policy on O&M and replacement of existing drinking water & sanitation assets Integrated institutional structure for implementation of Swajaldhara & TSC Annual Action Plans to achieve goals

18 Institutional framework Transfer of funds, functions & functionaries to PRIs Empowering PRIs/VWSCs to fix and collect water tariff / charges for Community Sanitary complexes Capacity building of PRIs functionaries through CCDUs and other training programs/visits Enabling participation of the poor and marginalized groups e.g. women in all decision making Establishing community based WQM&S Setting up independent monitoring arrangements to assess progress and efficacy of schemes

19 Financial Framework Laying down Capital cost sharing amongst State Government / GOI/ PRIs/Users for different type of schemes Pooling of funds receivable from all sources Flow of funds to the sector to be progressively enhanced over level Setting up funds for Operation and maintenance Institutional restructuring Quality improvement System and source sustainability

20 Incentives from GOI Financial incentives for effective and timely implementation of MOU Preparatory Grant for undertaking detailed sector study Contribution to the Institutional Restructuring Fund for meeting the transition costs Flexibility to State Govt. in use of ARWSP funds towards implementation of MOU Assistance in getting External assistance A transparent criterion to determine eligibility for incentives and disincentives

21 Agreed Action Framework To be prepared by mutual consultation and to be appended to the MOU To recognize the differing needs, reform orientation and institutional structures of the States To be monitored both by SWSM of the State and NSMC/NSSC of GOI High power Review Missions for reviewing implementation of Agreed Action Framework Slippages from AAF may result in lower allocations/ stoppage of GOI assistance

22 MOU Process Ascertain status of the sector in a State Agency/Consultant to assist the State Government in preparation of Sector Status Report Preparation of State Vision Statement Formulation of strategy for implementation of State Vision Statement Finalization of Agreed Action Framework by the State Government in consultation with Government of India Identification of Programmatic benchmarks to trigger release of funds from Government of India

23 Monitoring of MOU Preparation of Annual Action Plan by States Annual Action Plan to clearly set qualitative, quantitative and financial targets Monitoring of the MOU by SWSM & National Swajaldhara Monitoring Committee (NSMC) High power Review Missions to periodically assess implementation of MOU Report of Review Missions and recommendations of NSMC to determine flow of incentives or disincentives to a State

24 Diving into implementation From , MOU will form the basis for all activities in the sector by Government of India, State Governments Covering newly emerged and slipped back FC/PC habitations by 2007 Tackling quality problem habitations by 2010 Ongoing TSC projects likely to result in 70% sanitation coverage of rural households by 2007 Proportion of rural population in India without access to water and basic sanitation to go down to 0 by 2015

25 Thank you