“Decentralized Governance In Rural Water Sector:

The Rajasthan Scenario”

Presentation by
Hemant Joshi, Executive Director
Dr. Suneet Sethi, Consultant HRD
Communication & Capacity Development Unit (CCDU),
Water & Sanitation Support Organization (WSSO),
Public Health Engineering Department- Govt. of Rajasthan
 RAJASTHAN–A PROFILE

Total Area 342,239 Sq km

Districts 33
Blocks 237
Panchayat Samities 249
Village Panchayats 9,168
Cities & Towns 222
Villages 41,353
Total Habitations 1,21,133
Population(2001) 56,507,188
Population(2011) 68,621,012
Urban 13,214,375
Rural 43,292,813
Decadal Growth Rate 21.44
Cattle Human Ratio 1.2:1

The state has more cattle population than human

Status of Water in Rajasthan:
• Rajasthan is the largest State of the country.
• The status of water in the State is most critical.
• Rajasthan with more than 10.4% of the country’s
geographical area, supporting more than 5.5% of the
human population & 18.70% of the livestock has only
1.16 % of the total surface water available in the
country.
• Out of the total 142 desert blocks in the country, 85
blocks are in the State of Rajasthan.
• Out of 249 blocks in the state, only 30 blocks are in safe
category.
• The average annual rainfall ranges from 100 mm in
Jaisalmer to 800 mm in Jhalawar. Average annual
rainfall of the State is 531mm.
• The State has witnessed frequent drought and famine
conditions in the past fifty years.
• The per capita annual water availability in the State is
about 780 cubic meter (Cum) against minimum
requirement of 1000 Cum. It is feared that the
availability would fall below 450 cum by the year 2050.
• As per the international accepted norms,
availability of water below 500 cum is considered as
absolute water scarcity.
 Rural Drinking Water Scenario in Rajasthan
No. of Habitations with population %
coverage (as on 20.2.2012) commissioned
Particulars habitations
  Total
>=0 and < >=25 and < habitations
25% 100% 100%  
All
Habitations 32979 19188 68966 121133 57%

SC
dominated
habitations 4296 2091 8934 15321 58%

ST
dominated
habitations 2855 3578 16487 22920 72%

Minority
dominated 5093 1114 5483 11690 47%
habitations
Out of total commissioned habitations 47% are quality affected
65% habitations & 47% villages are commissioned with
hand pump scheme
Hand pump repairing every year ranges from 38% to 72%
•

The revenue is not even 20% of the expenditure

Decentralized Governance
• Decentralization is the policy of delegating decision
making authority down to the lower levels in a set up
relatively away from and lower in a central authority

• As per the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of

1992, it was decided to devolve powers to the PRIs.

• The state governments were authorized to devolve

these powers.
The History of Decentralized Governance in Rajasthan

• Rajasthan was one of the major states where the three tiers
Panchayati Raj System was introduced on the recommendations of
Balwant Raj Mehta Committee.

• This was inaugurated by Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru on 2nd

October 1959 at Nagaur.

• Chaudhari Kumbharam Arya (1914-1995) a famous freedom

fighter, famous Agrarian leader and parliamentarian was the
founder member of the Panchayat Raj system in Rajasthan.
Status of Decentralized Governance in Rajasthan

In keeping with the spirit of the 73rd amendment, the

Rajasthan Government has transferred the administrative
controls of five departments with funds, functions and
functionaries to Panchayati Raj Department on 2nd October
2010. The departments are:

•Primary Education
•Health
•Women and Child
•Social Welfare & Justice
• Agriculture

The Total Sanitation Campaign was also transferred to

Panchayat Raj Department.
Schemes handed over to PRIs
• Janta Jal Yojna - 5631 (No. of Schemes handed over to
Gram Panchayats in the year 2011-12)
• Repairing of hand pumps
• All the 74 major projects i.e costing more than 25 crore
will be maintained by five member committee formed in
the gram sabha

Schemes still with PHED

• Pump & Tank
• Regional Water supply schemes
• Piped water supply
 Management Devolution Index
Consolidated Position of the State (MDI)
S.No. Indicator Weightage Award Remarks
ed
points
1 Transfer of 20 12.1 There are some
Functions to PRIs indicators
which have not
2 Availability/Trans 50 0 been reported
fer of funds to correctly on
PRIs the national
3 Functionaries 25 4.6 web site of
made available to DDWS due to
support PRIs lack of
reporting or
4 Good 5 0.3 wrong
Management reporting.
indicators
Total 100 17
State Wise MDI Ranking
S. No. Name of State Score
1 Karnataka 46.4
2 Tamilnadu 41.7
3 Andhra Pradesh 31.8
4 Gujarat 28.1
5 Maharashtra 24.7
6 Uttar Pradesh 24
7 Punjab 23.8
8 Uttranchal 23
9 Kerala 22.1
10 Chhattisgarh 20.4
11 Jharkhand 18.7
12 Rajasthan 17
13 Sikkim 16.4
14 Himachal Pradesh 16.3
15 M.P 16.3
16 Tripura 15.3
17 West Bengal 13.2
18 Nagaland 12.8
19 Haryana 12.7
20 Mizoram 9.5
21 Bihar 9.4
22 Assam 9.1
23 Orissa 8.8
24 Arunachal Pradesh 8.2
25 Meghalaya 5.3
26 Goa 0
27 J&K 0
28 Manipur 0
 MDI indicators not considered in Marking
•Whether untied grants from State Plan/non plan have been transferred to all
GPs in preceding financial year
Status: In year 2011-12, Rs. 45 crores has been transferred and in year
2012-13 Rs. 96 crore has been transferred.

•Whether untied grants from State Finance Commission have been

transferred to all GPs in preceding financial year
Status: In year 2011-12 RS.700 crores transferred

•Percentage of water charges demand collected by PRIs

Status: 100% in case of schemes covered under major projects.

•Proportion of blocks where block level Diploma/Graduate engineers are

available in PHED/PRED/ZP/BP @ one for 1 lakh rural population exclusively
for rural water supply and sanitation
Status: 1660 engineers are available. In every district 2-3 Executive
Engineers are looking after the work of rural water supply under them 10-15
A.Ens, 20-30 J.Ens are assisting in the work at block level.
MDI indicators not considered in marking contd..
Proportion of filled up BRC Coordinators positions
Status: In the state 249 block coordinators and 667 cluster coordinators
are to be appointed out of which till date 134 block coordinators and 338
cluster coordinators have been appointed. A total of 472 coordinators
have been appointed out of 916 i.e. 52%.

Proportion of VWSC members trained in RWS functions for at least two

days in the previous year.
Status: Total 63,500 VWSC members have been trained uptill now. The
target for VWSC training in AAP 12-13 is 15000 VWSC members

Proportion of NRDWP Support funds spent on IEC and HRD activities

Status: Rs. 3457.44 lacs has been spent on IEC & HRD under NRDWP
support fund out of 4000 lacs i.e . 86% utilization.
The Challenges in Rajasthan:

• Lack of confidence at the political level in terms of capacity of

Panchayat Raj Institutions. With the transfer of five departments
to PRIs, the ice has been broken and there are chances that other
subjects in the 11th schedule may also be gradually given to
PRIs.
• The mind set of PHED engineers.
• The lack of capacity of PRIs in maintaining the WSS is also a
handicap.
• Depleting potable ground water reserves and deteriorating
ground water quality.
• overcoming conflict of interest of different regions and different
user categories
• The state faces a major water crisis every third or fourth year due
to recurrent drought. Therefore the GOR is cautious and want to
move forward slowly and steadily because water is central to the
entire development programming in Rajasthan.
The Way Forward
• State Water Policy adopted. Decentralize
Governance accepted as a policy by State
Cabinet.
• Capacity Building of PRI already taken up in
coordination with SIRD.
• Change Management Groups formed at
state as well as divisional levels for change
of mind set of PHED engineers. Shortly
district level Change Management Groups
will be set up.
• A total of 7873 Rain Water Harvesting
Structures and Ground Water Recharging
being taken up through NRDWP funds.
• Setting up of BRCs expedited to ensure
gram panchayt level empowerment of PRIs.
• Communication Campaign launched
through electronic media for demand
management both for drinking &
farming sector.
 The Way Forward Contd…
• Village health and sanitation committee (VHSC) have
been designated as Village Health Water & Sanitation
Committee (VHW & SC) to work as VWSC as per
NRDWP guidelines to reduce multiplicity of
committees.
• Step by step transfer of funds, functionaries and
functions on Pilot basis starting from 2 districts i.e.
Alwar & Udaipur. (Cabinet approval given)
• Shortly a state level workshop is going to be held to
discuss the transfer model with stakeholders & their
feedback will be considered for ensuring smooth
transition.
• MGNREGS funds are also being used for rain water
harvesting & ground water recharge through
gram panchayats.
• IWRM plans being prepared in 2798 GPs in 11
districts with active involvement of local
panchayats.
THANKS