Sustainability through community choice

In India new initiatives are being introduced to bring about Reform of the Rural Water Sector by changing from Supply Driven to Demand led approaches through community participation in all stages of scheme development. The programme of Sector Reform is being implemented in 63 Pilot Districts across India. This paper describes practical field experience of the Demand Led approach in practice in Sopirala village (population 2500) of Prakasam District in Andhra Pradesh State, which is one of the pilot districts selected for the Sector Reform programme, during February 2002

Sustainability through training

This paper summarises the work done over the last six years to improve the supply of water in rural areas of India through specially designed training for engineers and scientists working in the rural water sector. The programme came into being as a result of the vision of senior staff of the Drinking Water Mission in the Department of Rural Development of the Ministry of Agriculture in 1990. Since then the support of Mission staff has continued as the responsibility for the activities of the Mission passed first to the Ministry of Rural Development and recently to the Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment. Financial support was provided for the external input costs to this programme by the Overseas Development Administration of the United Kingdom Government and internal costs were borne by the Mission

Demand-led development in the water sector

The Mahapani project aims to build local capacity to develop, use and manage water and environmental sanitation facilities in a healthy, equitable and sustainable manner. It is estimated that the project will directly benefit 1.7 million people in Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule and Nandurbar districts of Maharashtra State of India. By demonstrating a successful and replicable model the project will also influence state and national policy in the sector