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Development issues have again gained a profound focus both in policy and programmes. So has been the priority on rural drinking water supply, water quality and sanitation. The World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg (2002) set a target of halving, by the year 2015, the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. National Common Minimum Programme, adopted by the present Government of India, has also given highest priority to provide water and sanitation to all especially in rural areas. But the challenge in water and sanitation is indeed enormous. The sanitation coverage is abysmally low; 78 percent rural households are still not having sanitary latrines as per Census 2001. Though almost, 95 percent of the rural habitations are covered with water supply, many of them are affected with water quality problems.
Needless to say, lack of such facilities at household, school and community level is one of the important factors in high infant and under-five child mortality rates in India. The World Health Organisation estimates show that, about 80 percent of all sicknesses and diseases are due to lack of safe water and sanitation.
Technology Missions
The burden of diseases and subsequent lost livelihood opportunities have tremendous adverse effects especially in case of poor people living in the rural areas. Government of India, therefore, has given highest priority to this sector by launching a Technology Mission on Drinking Water in 1986 as one of the five technology missions at the initiative of late Shri Rajiv Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India. The Mission was later renamed as Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission (RGNDWM) in 1991. The Mission has also witnessed the launching of first ever-structured programme for promoting rural sanitation in 1986 through Central Rural Sanitation Programme (CRSP) under its flagship.
Prior to this, programmes particularly in water supply were through Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) started in 1972-73 for assisting States/ UTs on allocation basis to accelerate the coverage of drinking water supply. This programme became the part of the Mission in 1986 and is still continuing. As the functioning of the Mission gained momentum, parameters and safety standards on water quality have clearly been laid down. Mini Mission and Sub-Mission programmes were launched on project mode to address the issues of chemical contamination. Many of them have been successfully completed.
Another significant development has been the adoption of reform principles crystallized in demand driven and community based approach that advocated the issues of sustainability, full community ownership in operation and maintenance and local community partnership in water and sanitation programme.
During 1999, Department of Drinking Water Supply (DDWS) was set up within the Ministry of Rural Development, to extend greater thrust to the water and sanitation programmes. In drinking water supply, Sector Reform Projects (SRPs) in 67 districts on pilot basis were launched, which were later scaled up in 2002 across the country in the form of Swajaldhara. On sanitation, Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) was launched after restructuring CRSP. TSC is operational in 451 districts with an outlay of Rs. 4416 crore in which community contribution is Rs. 812 crore. Catchment Area Approach (CAA) has been adopted for monitoring and surveillance by involving various grassroots level educational and technical institutions by utilizing existing resources and strengthening them by providing additional financial resources.
Making A Difference
With such sustained interventions, many achievements have been recorded over the years. The coverage of rural population with drinking water facilities had a quantum jump from about 56 percent to 94 per cent. Another striking achievement has been in sanitation which has seen the coverage of more than 2 crore households with toilet facility. Eradication of Guinea worm from India as certified by WHO (2000) was another significant milestone in this direction.
One of the major contributions of the Mission has been its role in securing increased investment in water and sanitation sector. Since the beginning of the Sixth Five-Year Plan (1980-85) and the launch of the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade (1981-90), India has increased its commitment to the water supply and sanitation sector. Sector investments have increased and presently constitute a significant proportion of the national budget (about 3 percent). Since independence, Central and State Governments have collectively spent more than Rs. 450 billion for rural drinking water sector. On sanitation, this has been less, but has gone up to Rs 400 crore in 2004-2005 alone. However, much more remains to be invested.
Besides, the Mission has taken active role in promoting decentralized delivery structure by involving Panchayati Raj Institutions. Recently, the Mission has initiated ‘Communication and Capacity Development Unit’ programme to be established in each State to support TSC and Swajadhara. It has also released funds to the states for computerization and establishment of MIS at district level.
Meeting The Challenges
However, several constraints are also manifested that need to be resolved for better implementation of the Mission’s programme. For example, coverage of water supply has increased to the extent of 99 per cent but there are many habitations, which have slipped back from fully covered status to partially covered and not covered. Sanitation coverage is still inadequate which needs to be increased with special focus on schools. Financial allocation in water and sanitation has increased but it certainly needs more resources. More investment in R&D is also needed to ensure affordable and simple technologies in water and sanitation sector. Ground water is fast depleting, which calls for water recharge and conservation systems to be strengthened. Another main problem area is system sustainability. There is a big gap between the available resources and total estimated requirement of fund for O&M.
To meet above needs sufficient resources both financial & technical and a clearly defined strategy not only in terms of planning but also in implementation is needed. The Government of India, as mentioned above, is a signatory to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and has planned to reach out water supply and sanitation facilities to all.
Reaching the target requires strong strategies and approach. The Mission has formulated a strategy to cover all residual and slipped back habitations by 2007(by the end of the 10th Plan) so as to ensure sustained supply of safe drinking water. The Mission has also decided to sanction TSC projects in all districts of the country by 2005-2006 so as to achieve full basic sanitation coverage by 2012. It has been planned to provide all rural schools and Anganwadis with safe drinking water and sanitation by 2005-2006. Also, to add vigour to sanitation drive, Govt of India initiated an incentive scheme for fully sanitized and open defecation free Gram Panchayats, Blocks, and Districts called the ‘ Nirmal Gram Puraskar’ in 2003.
Public-Private Partnership
Despite such deep focus, it is becoming increasingly evident that government alone will not be able to provide the necessary expansion of quality services to a growing population. The role of government has to shift from service provider to that of a facilitator for providing financial and policy support to the communities and their institutions for fulfilling the desired levels of services on a sustainable and equitable basis.
The private sector is also becoming an increasingly important player in the management of existing utilities. On the rural side, local government-led and community-based models of delivery of rural public services may prove critical towards sustainable solutions.
If this is supported by strengthening technical and managerial capacity of different tiers of local governments and the communities for implementing different and diverse models of service delivery, effectiveness and sustainability of the programme will increase. So will increase the coverage, better health, economic growth and pace of progress from developing to developed India.(PIB Features)
*Secretary, Department of Drinking Water Supply
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