-
Sensitizing and awareness creation among
implementers (Government functionaries/ political
representatives / PRIs / NGOs etc.) at all
levels through various communication channels about
the programme.
-
Assessment and analysis of the existing
water supply and sanitation systems (village-wise)
through primary data collection.
-
Analysis and identification of the Gram
Panchayats/villages to be taken up in the various
phases depending on demand from them and the available
resources. (a) for Water Supply –
each phase may comprise of construction of new schemes,
augmentation and/ rejuvenation of the existing system
and taking over of the complete (acceptable) system
by Panchayats. (b) For Sanitation
– The phase may comprise of setting up of RSM/Production
Centre (PC) as an alternate delivery mechanism. Habitations
where implementation is to commence immediately should
be identified (preferably NC/PC and quality affected
habitations and those where the success rate is likely
to be fast, higher and sure
-
Agencies for communication campaign should
be identified and action taken to develop and execute
the capacity development and communication strategy.
IEC involves
-
Sensitizing and awareness creation
among implementers (Government functionaries/ political
representatives / PRIs / NGOs etc.) at all levels
through various communication channels about the programme.
-
Assessment and analysis of the existing
water supply and sanitation systems (village-wise)
through primary data collection.
-
Analysis and identification of the Gram
Panchayats/villages to be taken up in the various
phases depending on demand from them and the available
resources. (a) for Water Supply –
each phase may comprise of construction of new schemes,
augmentation and/ rejuvenation of the existing system
and taking over of the complete (acceptable) system
by Panchayats. (b) For Sanitation
– The phase may comprise of setting up of RSM/Production
Centre (PC) as an alternate delivery mechanism. Habitations
where implementation is to commence immediately should
be identified (preferably NC/PC and quality affected
habitations and those where the success rate is likely
to be fast, higher and sure). ·
-
Agencies for communication campaign should
be identified and action taken to develop and execute
the capacity development and communication strategy.
· Communication campaign for awareness creation and
demand generation should clearly give the following
messages. (1)The beneficiaries will
own the assets created; (2)The government
will not maintain the assets created; (3)
This is the one time investment in the district/ Gram
Panchayat ; (4) On completion of
the project, the district/Gram Panchayat will be considered
fully covered.(5)Two or more alternative
technologies suitable to a particular area along with
information regarding its capital cost, the beneficiary
share, the O&M cost, the replacement cost etc.
in respect of each technology;(6)
Full O&M and replacement cost and part capital
cost is to be borne by the beneficiaries; (7)Importance
of water quality monitoring and surveillance;(8)Importance
and benefits of water recharging activities and possible
technologies for water recharging activities in the
area; and (9)Any other local issues pertaining to
the area.
-
Various communication modules should
be prepared in the local language giving the above
information.
-
Agencies for preparation of the above
modules and carrying out communication activities
should be identified. Preparation of Manuals/modules
for the above training including in the local languages.
-
Getting the schemes of their choice identified
by the villagers (decision making process).
-
Village Water and Sanitation Committee
(VWSC) a Committee of Gram Panchayat
to be empowered and operationalised ---VWSC to have
accounts under Panchayat Act.
Technological
Options
The technology
option should be acceptable, adaptable and affordable for
the community. The selection of water supply technology
for a given locality could be determined by a number of
factors, such as technical feasibility, users preferences
and requirements combined with willingness to contribute
towards capital cost and O&M. Site specific conditions
such as availability and reliability of electricity supply,
quality of ground water etc. must also be factored in by
the community while making choice of technology. The service
level shall be as per the users preference. Priority should
be given to rehabilitation and / extension of existing schemes.
A Manual consisting of type-designs and indicative capital
and O&M costs for each of the technology options may
be prepared by the SWSM/DWSC and circulated to the Gram
Panchayats willing to take up projects under the Swajaldhara.
However, care should be taken that there is adequate room
for local level innovations and greater community participation.
Community
Participation
The
minimum share of community contribution for 40 litres
per capita per day (lpcd ) service level will be 10 percent
(5% in case of SC and ST Gram Panchayats / villages where
50% of the population is SC / and ST as per 2001 Census)
of the estimated capital cost of the project and funding
by Government of India would be restricted to 90% of the
capital cost. In case of all habitations fully covered
in the States, with 40 lpcd drinking water facility, the
service level can be improved to 55 lpcd with 20 per cent
of the capital cost to be borne by the community. In such
States, in case of water supply schemes providing more
than 55 lpcd, the additional incremental cost would have
to be borne by the community / Panchayati Raj Institutions/
State Government. Funding by Government of India would
be restricted to 80 per cent of the capital cost of 55
lpcd schemes only.
The community contribution towards the
capital cost of schemes could be in the form of cash /
kind/ labour / land or combination of these. However,
at least 50% of the community contribution will have to
be in cash. In case community contribution is more than
10% of the scheme cost, the excess amount shall be taken
into operation and maintenance fund. Contribution from
the community based institutions / organisations like
Youth Club, Self-Help Groups, local Institutions and Gram
Panchayats may also supplement the community contribution.
However, such contribution will be over and above the
community contribution and will not be included as part
of the community contribution. Further, contribution from
Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS)
or Member of Legislative Assembly Constituency Development
Scheme (MLACDS), which are Government Programmes, is specifically
prohibited.
O & M
Operation, maintenance and management cost
of the water supply schemes will have to be fully borne
by the concerned Community/User Group/ Village Water and
Sanitation Committee/Panchayati Raj Institution. This
would include recurring costs like salary of operators,
electricity charges as well as cost of periodic repair
and renewal. It would be imperative on the part of the
Panchayati Raj Institution /community to have a full understanding
and appreciation of the likely O&M costs of various
technology options before they select the technology for
their water supply scheme. The Gram Panchayat which has
opted for a new scheme and/ augmenting the existing scheme,
should take over the O&M of the existing schemes in
the respective area. Towards this end, the Gram Panchayat
/User group will contribute to an Operation & Maintenance
(O&M) Fund. The size of the corpus should be su
fficient to meet the O&M cost
of the scheme for at least six months. This corpus should
remain intact and may be made use of to meet renewal/replacement/
major repairs cost Gram Panchayats would require to mobilise
funds through levy and collection of user charges for
the operation and maintenance of the schemes taken over.
Further, upon completion of Swajaldhara schemes under
both the streams and their successful operation for at
least 12 months from the date of completion, Government
of India may provide up to 10% of the capital cost as
a one-time incentive to the O&M Fund created by the
Panchayati Raj Institution/ User Group and the State Government
should also make an equal matching contribution to the
O&M Fund. The District Panchayat / DWSC shall take
steps to provide training to persons selected by the Gram
Panchayat / community to operate and maintain the drinking
water schemes. Funding for the capacity development of
Panchayat and Users Group functionaries will be met from
the Swajaladhara. It is difficult to have all Gram Panchayats
in a District under Swajaldhara simultaneously. They are
taken up batch by batch. Under Swajaldhara-I, ARWSP funds
for O&M will be available for non-Swajaldhara Gram
Panchayats. Since funding for operation and maintenance
will not be available under ARWSP for all the villages
in a Swajaldhara project district under Swajaldhara -II,
the State Governments may continue to provide funds, if
necessary, for O&M for non-Swajaldhara Project Gram
Panchayats from their own funds to the Gram Panchayat
till the Gram Panchayat is covered under the Project.
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