DECENTRALISING WATER GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS

1. DECENTRALISING WATER GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS 26 June 2012 Josyula Lakshmi Program Manager Centre for Good Governance

2. Background • Water Crisis – improper governance and lack of effective accountability mechanisms • World over, 80% of the people living in rural areas do not have access to safe drinking water • Health and survival of life is in jeopardy • MDG aims at halving the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015 • Better water governance could change the situation 26/06/12 2

3. The Developments • Focus on the finite resource and on its contingent value for human survival • Trigger for the next World War – Control over water resources, strategic alliances, water wars • Water as a fundamental right – not yet realised • Connotative references in several judgments • Democracy and Water – conjoined terms 26/06/12 3

4. Democracy and Water • Democracy – ‘of the people’, ‘for the people’ • ‘By the people’- to be realised • Principle of subsidiarity – delegation and designation • 73rd Constitutional Amendment (1992) • Devolution of powers (Functions, Functionaries and Funds) • Democracy = Inclusive, Transparent and Accountable governance 26/06/12 4

5. Water governance • Issues pertaining to resource regulation, usage and its management • Water governance –focuses on the decision making mechanisms and processes in place • Good water governance = Better water sense at all levels • Levels of water governance – institutional mechanisms • Information flows and Service delivery standards • Ethos and the practices of accountability 26/06/12 5

6. Good governance practices • Systemic risk identification – Structural risks, Functional and Process risks • Strengthening links with end-users • Transparency and access to Information • Leveraging accountability • Improving service delivery • Updation of data • Quality Reporting 6 26/06/12

7. Enabling legislations • Already in place – the Right to Information Act, 2005 • In the pipeline – the Right of Citizens for Time bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances (2011) Bill • Electronic delivery of services (draft) Bill-2011 26/06/12 7

8. Right to Information Act • Information – files, notings…even SAMPLES • Reactive and proactive information – no choice • Sample – ‘a small part of ‘ anything • Material, consumables, stocks, fixtures & fittings etc • Sample is invariably tangible that is felt and seen and classified on the basis of quality • Sample as such becomes an intelligible piece of information after going through some qualification 26/06/12 8

9. Information in RWS sector? • Water Quality –the standards ? • The standards – Quantity, Quality • Standard verses Actual – Quality Audit • Quality flow audit – Minimum deviance in quality between source and end point • Quality Control – Infrastructure, sanitary works, pollution control etc • Online monitoring systems for quality water works may be devised and deployed 26/06/12 9

10. Proactive Disclosure in RWS • Periodic display and updation of information – especially the dynamic information • Water source and supply mapping • Available quantity • Quality Standards • Consumer Satisfaction reports 26/06/12 10

11. Service Guarantee & Grievance Redress Bill • Preparation of a Citizen's Charter of Services • Responsibility of the Head of the Department to ensure compliance and updation • In case of appeal for non-compliance, burden of proof on Grievance Redress Officer 26/06/12 11

12. Electronic Delivery of Services Bill • Minimum individual interaction of consumer with officers • Static and Dynamic data online • Quicker processes of problem identification and grievance redressal • Transparent method of functioning • Win – win situation 26/06/12 12

13. Accountability mechanisms in RWS • Social Audit • Resource availability Audit • Q & Q Audit • Equity Perception Audit • Community Score Car -How inclusive ? • Expenditure Tracking 26/06/12 13

14. Social Audit of Drinking Water • Water Resource Audit (WRA) – Availability of the resource (per head / per community / per village) • Water Quality Audit (WQA) – Compliance with International and national standards in terms of permissable limits • How much is moderate, how much is dangerous and what is fatal • Water Equity and Inclusive Audit (WEIA) – Fair and equitable distribution of the resource across castes, communities and gender 26/06/12 14

15. Community Score Card • Identifying community level indicators for monitoring • Identifying service provider level indicators for compliance • Interface dialogues • Plan of future plan of Action • Repeat the process periodically 26/06/12 15

16. Expenditure Tracking • Financial Accountability – Accountability for money being spent • Input vs Output • Investment (Input) vs Service levels (Output) • Setting up Service level benchmarks and striving towards excellence • Regulation of commercial private operations • Value for money spent (by Govt. and by the citizen) • Third party quality (TPQ) evaluations 26/06/12 16

17. Thank you !! 26/06/12 17