2008年-世界发展银行全球_Norms_for_Rural_Water_Supply_in_India_8页_630kb

Summary of Norms for Rural Water Supply in India

Core Content

The document outlines the current norms and challenges in rural water supply in India, particularly under the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Program (ARWSP) and the Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission (RGNDWM). It emphasizes the need for revising these norms to better align with the actual service demands and willingness of rural communities to pay for improved water access.

Current Norms

• Water Quantity:

  • 40 liters per capita per day (lpcd) of safe drinking water for humans.
  • An additional 30 lpcd for cattle in the Desert Development Program areas.

• Water Source Accessibility:

  • A water source should be within 1.6 km in the plains and within 100 meters elevation in hilly areas.
  • In some states, norms can be relaxed to 55 lpcd with a source within 0.5 km in the plains and 50 meters elevation in the hills, provided the state has achieved full coverage under the existing 40 lpcd norms.
  • Beneficiaries must share at least 10% of the capital cost and fully shoulder the operation and maintenance (O&M) responsibilities.

• Facility Distribution:

  • One handpump or standpost for every 250 persons.
  • The norm is based on an output of 12 liters per minute from a water source.

Actual Usage and Challenges

• The number of households sharing a handpump or standpost is significantly lower than the norm in most states.
  • In Uttar Pradesh, only 11–12 households share a standpost on average.
  • In Karnataka, 66 households share a handpump, and 25 households share a standpost.
  • Other states like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala have lower sharing rates than Karnataka.
• Water pressure is low, and filling a 10-liter bucket takes more than 3 minutes, making it difficult to meet the 40 lpcd norm.
• Distance to water sources is generally less than 100 meters, but in some cases, it exceeds 700 meters.
• The existing norms are not aligned with the actual preferences of rural communities, who prefer domestic connections and are willing to pay for better services.

Demand for Piped Water Supply

• Rural households prefer piped water connections over standposts or handpumps.
• Private connections are increasing in number, often exceeding the design capacity of schemes by three times.
• Users are willing to pay Rs 30–44 per month for private piped water connections.
• This indicates a strong demand for higher service levels, which is not met by current norms.

Revision of Norms

• A working committee has been formed by RGNDWM to review and revise urban and rural water supply norms.
• Key considerations for revision include:
  • Liberalizing norms to provide 55 lpcd of safe water once full coverage is achieved.
  • Reducing the distance requirement to 0.5 km in plains and 50 meters in hilly areas.
  • Ensuring equal access for vulnerable groups (SC/ST) by providing one source per 150 persons.
  • Determining cost-sharing principles for higher service levels.

Policy Recommendations

• The study advocates for flexible norms to improve service delivery and O&M efficiency.
• A 'fully covered' classification should still be used to measure progress, but it should not be the sole criterion for service quality.
• User charges should be introduced to recover O&M and partial capital costs, ensuring sustainable service.
• The willingness to pay and affordability of households should be central to policy design.

Conclusion

The current norms for rural water supply in India are not meeting the actual needs of rural communities. There is a clear preference for domestic connections and private piped water supply, which is conflicting with the existing standards. The need for norm revision is emphasized to align with real service demands, user preferences, and financial sustainability. The World Bank study underscores the importance of flexible, demand-driven approaches to rural water supply.

References

• The study is part of six policy papers published by the World Bank based on a comprehensive review of rural water supply schemes in India (June 2008).
• The report was prepared by Smita Misra and reviewed by various experts and government officials.
• The study highlights the perverse incentives created by rigid norms, leading to inadequate O&M and poor service quality.