Water Management » Rural water programme

Training programme for village communities and Panchayat officials

Background
The Department of Drinking Water Supply (DDWS), Ministry of Rural Development, has nominated the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) as a Key Resource Centre by DDWS to undertake activities of research, training and awareness creation.

In April 2009, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) released the new guidelines for rural water supply namely the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP). The new guidelines gives major emphasis on ensuring sustainability of water availability in terms of potability, adequacy, convenience, affordability and equity while also adopting decentralised approach involving Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and community organisations.

As part of this initiative, CSE will work with Public Health Engineering Department of different states to undertake programmes for PHED engineers, panchayat officials, communities and schools in the state.

The programme for engineers will focus on demystifying some of the aspects of the new guidelines, which aim for universal coverage by March 2012. Workshops for village community members (PRIs, Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs), Angandwadi workers and other community members) will aim to create an understanding of the need to prepare Village Water Security Plans. The focus of these workshops is on the preparation of village water budget as the starting point for preparing the Village Water Security Plans. CSE collaborates with local NGOs  to undertake these workshops.