Dr Arvind Kumar, President, India Water Foundation
Mounting shortage of water has focused the attention of both governments and the people throughout the globe to concentrate on finding measures to conserve water, prevent its wastage, protect it from pollution and recycle the waste water for reuse as well as harvesting rainwater. Like other countries of the world, India is equally concerned about finding means to tackle the acute shortage of water.
While dealing with the water-related problems in India, the role of Union Government and the State Governments, district authorities and village Panchayat institutions assume added significance because the framework for policy-making and policy implementation is primarily in the hands of the government bodies. In other words, government is a key factor in water governance,
Although, the Central Ministry of Water Resources is entrusted with the task of overlooking the water related affairs, but the other ministries and departments of Government of India, like Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) etc., are also concerned with water-related issues in one way or the other. Besides, the state governments are equally empowered to deal with water-related issues.
This scenario makes a discernible observer to feel whether there exists some kind of mechanism to coordinate water-related activities of these ministries or they are administering the affairs in their own manner. A bird’s eye view of the data and information displayed by these ministries in their respective official web sites does not make the things very clear in this regard and the likelihood of any inter-ministerial nodal agency to monitor data and information this regard and coordinate the water-related activities also seems to be a remote possibility.
Under these circumstances, the need for convergence and coordination between these ministries is not only a dire necessity but the need of the hour as well. Water governance entails water finance, water mapping, village level water-related activities etc. Each ministry having something to do with water-related activities is supposed to earmark some funds and devise certain plans for water governance. In this manner, there is replication of activities and expenses thus incurred also get doubled. If there is convergence and coordination of the resources and required activities, then both resources and efforts can be conserved for other activities. In this some suggestions are explained briefly to optimize the convergence and coordination between different ministries with regard to water governance.
Institutional Capacity Building
Developing the capacities of institutions dealing with water-related issues is a sine qua non for good governance. Facilitating institutions at the village level and developing their capacities on various aspects should be the key implementation strategy. Right from the inception of the project implementation, proper emphasis is needed to be paid to develop the capacities of the partner community.
Capacity building is done at two levels, first to develop the institutional base of the community in each village institutions in the form of Jal Samittee and Jal Sabha are developed and they are capacitated to take appropriate measures for efficient use of their natural resources and develop democratic values at the community level. Secondly, technical capacities are developed in terms of improved agriculture, efficient water and resource utilization and participatory management.
In this regard, the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) is already doing praise worthy work and what is required is the convergence of interests between the MRD and Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) as well as Ministry of Agriculture. Viewed in a broad spectrum, agriculture is the main consumer of water resources, particularly underground water. Keeping in view the declining levels of underground water, coordination and cooperation between these ministries in capacity building of the institutions at the village level becomes essential.
As the MRD is already doing such things by entrusting the task to the village panchayats, the involvement of the Ministry of PRIs assumes significance. Thus, well-coordinated effort between the different ministries will facilitate better governance. The role of the civil societies in this regard cannot be ignored. A civil society is not burdened with official rules and regulations like seeking permission of authorities for fixing up duties of the personnel or getting sanction from higher authority for undertaking a particular assignment or not.
Development of Finance and Information Resources
Availability of adequate financial resources is imperative for carrying out any activity. Undoubtedly, each Ministry allocates a particular amount for water-related activities as per plan period in order to achieve the target within a stipulated period. In the absence of proper information about the nature of project in the same region being undertaken by some other ministry or department or the state government, there is possibility of replication of work as well as extra-expenditure to be incurred on a similar or identical project. Thus, coordination in pooling financial resources is called for.
Of equal importance is the generation of information resources and thereafter sharing the same information. As and when either Ministry of Rural Development or Ministry of Water Resources comes out with a project related to water, the information related to that project is required to be shared by all ministries concerned so that those ministries and state governments concerned can offer their suggestions on that project in order to facilitate smooth and speedy implementation of that project.
Generation of information relating to water, particularly in respect of renovation of ponds, watersheds and underground water tables calls for knowledge of mapping. The information thus generated is required to shared and scrutinized between different ministries as well as concerned state governments. In this regard the availability of a nodal agency which works as a repository of information and makes the requisite information available to all concerned parties is called for.
Such a nodal agency can be at the inter-ministerial level which can also be authorized to coordinate with the state governments as well. There should be frequent updating of the data and same data need to be passed on to the concerned ministries for proper processing. Thereafter, the concerned ministries, particularly the Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Water Resources and Ministry of Agriculture should coordinate their efforts to exchange data in respect of underground water on the basis of the information made available by the nodal agency and devise their plans and implementation strategies accordingly.
Monitoring Progress
Planning and execution of a project involve a stage where monitoring of the progress made thus far becomes crucial for assessing whether the implementation of the project is in accordance with the guidelines or not. Besides, monitoring also enables to ascertain the pitfalls like shortage of funds, adequacy of the technology applied and the nature of outcome as well, apart from the pace of development. The monitored information with regard to water-related projects needs to be shared between the concerned ministries in order to evaluate the implementation and to remove the bottlenecks if any.
This process is already underway in the Ministry of Rural Development, particularly with regard to NREGA programmes and the ministry has many feathers to its cap in the form of success stories in many states. Concomitantly, it is desirable that the information gathered on the basis of monitoring is shared by the concerned ministry with other ministries to keep them apprised of the developments in that regard.
Priority Allocations
It is generally observed that project allocations are seldom done on need-based requirements or on the basis of any other rationale basis. Political interference in project allocations is more prominent in many cases related to water projects. Influential political leaders impress upon the authorities to allocate projects in their respective constituencies irrespective of the fact that whether such projects are required or not.
This partisan approach renders the very approach of development to a farce because the allocation of project is done for a region where its need is doubtful and the areas which require such projects remain neglected due to wrong priorities. This lacuna can be rectified with the help of social auditing. The civil societies can keep a tab on politicians as well as political parties to oversee that they do not influence decision-making process in either of the ministries concerned with water-related issues and also to see that allocation of projects is done by a particular ministry/department on non-partisan basis.
There is also the need for exercising vigilance, particularly by the civil societies with regard to allocation of projects on water related issues, against political interference in allocation of the schemes, to see that such projects are not politically-motivated but people-friendly.
Besides, the disparities in allocating water-related projects to the states should be removed. The concerned ministries, in consultation with the Planning Commission, and their own planning divisions, should work out priority areas and adopt need-based approach in allocating projects to the states. Almost all states in India are hit by mounting crisis and water-related problems and under such circumstances, ignoring one state and according priority to another either on political considerations on other pretext is uncalled for.
Availability of Technology
The role of technology in tackling water-related problems cannot be over-emphasized. The availability of technical know-how is desirable for the successful completion of water-related problems. Technology is called for treating waster water to make it re-usable. Besides, even making water worth drinking, technology is required. Water-related technology is a bit costly and its use in Indian context is thus far is not so common.
Under these circumstances, the principle of public-private partnership (PPP) in water sector can be invoked. Undoubtedly, the principle of PPP is working in some selected areas successfully and these success stories can be repeated in other areas and regions as well. The private sector has already shown willingness to participate in the water sector and as such more details can be worked out to identify areas of PPP cooperation. The private sector can invest in technology in return for reasonable compensation or incentives in other sectors. This will help in tiding over the problem of technology availability and reduce the monetary burden on the state exchequer as well.
Role of Civil Society
In order to provide wide-ranging solutions to the water-related problems, the Government is handicapped by many odds like convincing the people about the utility of the proposed water-related project, the limited knowledge and experience of the officials and mobilization of volunteers required for carrying out the projects. On the other hand, civil societies are better placed in eliciting the support as well as services of the experts from academic and technical institutions for the water-related projects.
Concomitantly, the civil society is better placed to ensure people’s participation and mobilization of volunteers. Volunteers of a civil society come from the grassroots and such they have a close rapport with the people. Once these volunteers are involved in the project then eliciting people’s participation in that project is not a difficult proposition. Rather people join hands with the volunteers and such an eventuality is bound to ensure the success of the project to a satisfactory level. And under the prevailing ambience, people’s participation is imperative for the success of any project/scheme.
Government officials assigned with the responsibility of a project either at a village level or a district level are already over-burdened with other official preoccupations and as a result of which they cannot be expected to devote full attention essential for the implementation, monitoring and evaluating the project. On the other hand, involvement of civil society not only reduces the burden of the government officials but also ensures smooth and hassle-free functioning of the process.
Civil society volunteers and officials have varied experience and knowledge by having dealt with different projects. So their knowledge and experience becomes a useful asset for those already engaged in the project. Besides, the civil society with the help of social audit can ward off unnecessary outside interference and pressures, to which government officials are prone to succumb to easily, but not the volunteers of the civil society.
Another advantage of involving the civil society in water-related projects is that it works as a link between the people who are recipient of the benefits of the project and the government which is the initiator of the project. While the project is in progress, the civil society can bring to the notice of the government the exact position without any hindrance whereas government officials may hide certain facts for fear of being reprimanded.
Civil societies are also useful in eliciting cooperation and involvement of the private sector in water-related projects. Civil society can facilitate negotiations between the government and private sector for the transfer of technology or signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard. Broadly speaking, civil society’s involvement in people-oriented projects is almost imperative.
Sar Economist / June 2009
