Over the decades, Government of India has allocated massive financial and technical inputs to rural water supply (RWS) and sanitation programmes, and has achieved considerable success in meeting the needs of the rural population. Yet, the results have not been commensurate with the huge investments made in this sector. As a result, water scarcity still persists. Despite good strides, improvement in RWS lagged behind. The Government has realised that increased investments are not enough as projects are failing to sustain themselves. Systems fall idle and into disrepair due to poor maintenance. This is due to the perception of the rural people that water is a social right to be provided by the Government, free of cost, rather than a socio-economic resource that should be managed at the lowest appropriate level, with users involved in the planning and implementation of projects. With this aim in view, the Department of Drinking Water Supply strives to mobilise community participation in RWS and sanitation programmes.
Presently, people are not aware of the technology aspects or given the choice between different technologies; they do not even know the details of expenditure on the project. Non-involvement of people in the design and execution of projects may lead to sub-standard quality of materials been used, poor workmanship and insufficient maintenance.
Field research has shown that stakeholders get involved in operation and maintenance of the systems only when they pay for it, when they are certain that they would control the funds, which are collected for operation and maintenance, and that water supply would be dependable.
WHY SECTOR REFORM?
 Huge investments in RWSS (more than Rs 34,000 crore)
·
 High breakdown
· rate of systems
 Slippage in coverage·
 Poor O·&M, poor service quality
 Water quality problems·
 Unsustainable systems·
 No people’s· participation
given the choice between different technologies; they do not even know the details of expenditure on the project. Non-involvement of people in the design and execution of projects may lead to sub-standard quality of materials been used, poor workmanship and insufficient maintenance.
New policy initiative
it is being recognised that a transformation from a target-based, supply-driven approach, which pays little attention to the actual practices and 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 people get the service they desire and can afford to pay. Further, full cost recovery of operation and maintenance and replacement costs will ensure the financial viability and sustainability of the schemes.
In order to face these challenges, Government of India has brought about policy changes by introducing reforms in the rural drinking water sector. A paradigm shift has been made in the RWS sector where the emphasis is on demand- responsive approaches, community participation and decentralisation of powers for implementing and operating drinking water supply schemes. Till July 2002, 67 pilot districts have been selected for implementing Sector Reform projects. After gaining experience in the first phase, the Sector Reform approach would be improved and expanded to the remaining districts of the country.
In this new approach, the Government's role is primarily as a facilitator. The efforts will be to create awareness amongst the people about the need for their effective participation in the programme. The community should be willing to manage and operate the drinking water supply schemes, for which they should have a feeling of ownership of the assets created. A part of the capital cost and full operation and, maintenance cost should be borne by the community.
Hence, it is possible to institutionalise community-based rural drinking water supply programme if the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)/Iocal 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 Government agencies, private sector or NGOs.
Principles of Sector Reform
The main objective of Sector Reform project is not just physical implementation of a water supply scheme, but to institutionalise a new concept, which envisages to enhance awareness among the rural people by demystifying various possible RWS technology options, merits and demerits of each option, their cost differences, the importance of people's participation and to equip the rural population to plan, sanction, partially fund, implement, operate, maintain, manage and replace the schemes of their choice, themselves. This being rather difficult and a challenging initiative, it is expected that there would be many problems in the initial stages but it is likely to gain momentum only after awareness generation and capacity building activities progress.
SRP HIGHLIGHTS
 Sector Reforms Project was introduced in April 1999·
· Introduced in 68 districts in 26 States
 Ensures adoption of a· demand-driven approach based on empowerment of villagers
 Focuses on· village-level capacity building
 Users to share 10% (at least) capital cost· and full operation and maintenance cost
 Stresses on taking up conservation· measures like rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge structures, etc
SRP PRINCIPLES
To ensure people’s participation, the Central Government follows three basic principles:
 Adoption of a demand-responsive and adaptable· 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, control of finances and management arrangements;
 Shifting role of· Government from direct service delivery to that of planning, policy formulation, monitoring and evaluation and partial financial support;
 Partial capital· cost sharing either in cash or kind or both and 100 per cent responsibility of O&M by the users.
Institutional arrangements
 State level - State Water and Sanitation Mission (SWSM) /· Existing setup or any other appropriate setup deemed fit.
 District level-· Zilla Parishad / District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) for overall guidance; District Water and Sanitation Committee (DWSC); and Core Team for implementation.
 Scheme level- Gram Panchayat and Village Water and· Sanitation Committee (VWSC)
Project period
 District is the unit of execution of Sector Reform Project and· project period is 3 years.
 The stipulated duration of a Sector reform· Project is 36 months. This involves the following stages.
- Institutionalization - 3 months
- Sensitisation and Identification - 12 months
- Scheme/System Planning - 9 months
- Implementation and Commissioning and Atmarpan - 12 months
 Schemes are to be taken up in GPs/· VWSCs in batches.
 All the above stages may co-exist at the same time at any· given point of time in various places within the same district
 The VWSC a· Committee of Gramp Panchayats is entrusted with planning, implementation of scheme of their choice in consultation with the users, shoulder the responsibility of O & M and management of the asset created.
Participation of NGO
As per the guidelines for implementation of Sector Reform project, three NGOs can be coopted into DWSC as its members with the prior approval of the Government of India. Some States like Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have got Government of India concurrence for engagement of NGOs. The question of coopting NGOs to DWSC would not arise in case of those districts where the project is being implemented by PRIs.
INCENTIVES TO STATES
20 per cent of Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) funds have been earmarked for Sector Reform projects. Funds are released directly to the District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM). At least 30 per cent of the funds are released immediately after the approval of the National Scheme Sanctioning Committee. Further, releases are made periodically depending on the progress of the project work.
FOCUS ON WOMEN
Better place for the better half
Sector Reform projects stresses on women's empowerment as, it is a fact, that collection of drinking water in a village is primarily a woman's duty. Since women are the principal beneficiaries of this programme, it is of crucial importance that women are involved at all stages of rural water supply schemes, particularly while making decisions on the location of the handpumps, standposts or spot sources in villages. The Government believes that the surveyors of the schemes should obtain information about sources of water from women, They should be given training to operate and maintain the systems. Experiences have shown that where women are involved in all stages of schemes, the performance of the water supply systems has been much effective. Women should, therefore, be involved in the following manner:
An active role for women has been envisaged in the implementation of Sector Reform projects. The project envisages empowerment of community, particularly women through Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VNSCs) and Gram Panchayats. Women can, thus, be involved in implementation of water supply schemes by functioning in close coordination with VWSCs.
Sector Reform also emphasises to strengthen women’s participation in project activities, particularly in the area of sustainability of systems by encouraging formation of user groups comprising exclusively of women in each village. These women groups would act as sub-committees functioning in close coordination with VWSCs.
However, in most of the States, SWSMs do not meet to review and guide the implementation of the Sector Reform project. State Governments should, therefore, take active interest in the implementation of the Sector Reforms projects and ensure that SWSMs meet at regular intervals to review the progress, identify the problems and solve them.
Project process
PARADIGM SHIFT
SRP ensure paradigm shift from
 Supply-driven to demand responsive·
· Engineering norms to users’ choice
 More hardware to more software·
· Centralised to decentralised
 State subsidy to cost recovery·
IEC and HRD activities
It has been seen that many States want to skip the important components like HRD and IEC and go straight to the hardware component of the project. In this regard, it is highlighted that the objective of the Sector Reforms project is not merely utilisation of funds and creating physical assets. The objective is to empower the community including the women to be knowledgeable, self-reliant, independent and self-supporting so as to enable them to assess their drinking water requirements and take decisions to fulfill those requirements. This objective cannot be achieved without proper intensive interactive IEC and community development effort. Hence, IEC and HRD or in other words community development activities is necessary and unavoidable component of the project.
Multi-village scheme
Normally, RWS schemes will be implemented by VWSCs. However, in cases where technology options adopted in more capital intensive and envisaged to benefit more than one village, multi-village schemes
HOW THE BENEFICIARIES WILL BE BENEFITED
SRPs promise safe drinking water, and safe drinking water is related to health and hygiene and ultimately to the development of the village. SRP will not only bring safe drinking water to the village, but will also ensure that the community/Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) are empowered to plan, take decisions and implement the schemes themselves. SRP will create a sense of demand among the people and will, therefore, ensure sustainability of the drinking water sources and systems. The community will be empowered through capacity building to own, plan, operate and implement the schemes. SRP also ensures increased access of the poor to water and sanitation. With better and sustainable infrastructure in the rural areas will trigger economic growth.
could be implemented. In such cases a committee on the lines of VWSC may be constituted at the block level. The block level committee would involve representations from all concerned Panchayats, and it would be responsible for implementation of the multi-village scheme.
Cost sharing
As per guidelines, at least 10% of the capital cost of the scheme chosen by the villagers and entire O&M cost should be borne by the users. The 10% indicated for capital cost sharing is for minimum service level of 40 lpcd. For higher services demanded by the users, they should share capital cost at a higher rate, proportionate to the service level demanded by them. The State Government, in consultation with the Sector Reforms Project pilot districts, develop a cost sharing strategy for the entire State or separately for each district in accordance with the above principle and communicate it to the communities and Panchayats through the IEC/community development activities. It may be noted that the beneficiary contribution could be in the form of cash, kind, land or labour. But it should be from the individuals and families in the users community.
Technology options
Based on the baseline survey and hydrological factors prevailing in a particular area, the user groups will have to be offered various technological options for implementation of RWS schemes. The options so offered should be affordable, adaptable and acceptable by the local communities.
Water quality testing and surveillance
In the Sector Reform districts, community is unaware of the importance of testing the water for its quality (potability). In rural India, the major water quality problems are due to (i) arsenic, (ii) fluoride, (iii) nitrate, (iv) iron, (v) salinity and (vi) biological contaminants. Among these, fluoride and arsenic have serious impacts and biological contaminants have led to serious epidemics. In view of the above facts, Sector Reform districts need to focus on water quality.