Problems in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector have their roots in socio-political issues rather than in technology. This paper presents the report of a survey in 107 villages in rural Andhra Pradesh to illustrate the influence of governance systems.
As part of the WASHCost (India) project, a participatory survey was carried out in 107 villages in Andhra Pradesh across 9 agro-climatic zones. This consisted of carrying out focus group discussions with Gram Panchayats, SHGs, youth groups and SC/ST groups.Information was obtained for 19 indicators of WASH governance that can be broadly divided into the following groups:
The survey found low levels of participation, accountability, and transparency in the WASH sector in rural Andhra Pradesh.
The following observations were made:
However, in the few villages where WASH governance was strongest, the efficiency of service delivery was also high, with a good return on investments. Four such villages, all recipients of the Nirmal Gram Puraskar awards, are showcased in this paper. The reasons that enable efficient delivery of WASH services through the community are discussed.
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