People’s institutions for improving water and sanitation services - A video showing the experiences of Jankapet village in Andhra Pradesh in improving the water supply in the village

This video narrates the fascinating story of the active role played by a village water committee in Jankampet, Andhra Pradesh, in improving the water supply system and living upto the expectations of communities. Established way back in 1996, the village has had 16 committees till now and its functioning shows that the sustainability of the institution is ensured as it is considered as people's institutions.

Author:

Updated on:

31 Dec 2012, 6:21 am

1 min read

The video captures the views of the villagers about this institution. It shows how local institutions can bring a difference in the way water is managed, how service levels have improved, how efficiently water is sued and finally how problems are addressed.

The committee is built on traditional cultural practices of the village where there is no discrimination made on the basis of caste. The members of the body are picked according to the lottery system, and are responsible for the operation and maintenance of the network, looking into minor repairs of the distribution network and for ensuring that water is made available equally to all the villagers. Excess water is diverted to livestock’s and a part of it is also meant for ground water recharge. For the smooth supply system, a separate electricity connection is in place.

The video demonstrates how people’s financial contribution has fastened this process and people are willing to pay for any water related programs in the village.

Governance