PROJECT PHILOSOPHY

Demand driven approach - Unlike the supply driven approach hitherto followed, this project will be implemented based on the need of the people. The Project will be introduced only in areas where interested groups of people show their willingness to participate in the project and abiding by the conditions of cost- sharing. The group then gets a legal entity by registering themselves and only then proceeds with the rest of the planning. The source selection, technology selection, purchase, contracting and implementation is done by this registered body, the beneficiary group with technical help from Support Organisations. This inculcates a sense of ownership in the people.

Cost sharing - To ensure stakeholding of the project, 15% of the capital costs is borne by the beneficiary community. Of the remaining, the Grama Panchayath bear 10% and 75% is the share of the Govt.

Cost Recovery - The Beneficiary Groups themselves meet 100% of the recurring costs of operations and maintenance. This lightens the burden on the state exchequer, thereby helping the Govt to utilise this money for other priority needs like in the health sector.

Integrated Approach - The objective of the Project being sustainable supply of safe drinking water, sustainability of source, sustainability of operations, regularity and adequacy of supply and quality of water needs to be ensured. This is being met through other well-integrated components. Sustainability of source is ensured through Point- Source recharge measures. Quality is ascertained through a mix of Sanitation & Hygiene promotion and provision of infrastructure like latrines, compost pits etc. Sustainability of system is ensured through community empowerment, capacity building, women empowerment and social mobilisation.

Pro-Poor Approach - Special efforts have been taken in the project design to include the poor and vulnerable while selecting the user groups. The project has been so designed to incorporate the beneficiary contribution of 15% of capital costs either through cash or in kind, as labour. Intra-group subsidisation and even inter- group subsidisation is permitted at the behest of and under the total responsibility of the beneficiary groups. Thrift & Credit schemes are promoted in the Beneficiary Groups as "Self Help Groups" which are operated by the women of that group.

Women Development Initiatives - Women are the most affected both directly and indirectly, during water shortages. The project makes conscious efforts to mainstream the women users in the planning and decision-making activities. Apart from this, they are also encouraged to form "Thrift & Credit Groups" to help them make the payments towards the recurring expenditures of the water supply system. Income generation activities are also designed in the project where groups of women are given financial assistance and skill development training to start viable micro- enterprises of their choice.

Community Empowerment - Capacity building and equipping the community to operate the project is a major thrust area of this project as this is planned, designed, implemented, owned, and operated by the users themselves. This will not only ensure the involvement of the people but will also chart a new path to community- based approach for meeting any local needs.

Community Contracting - The users themselves are fully involved in all the activities right from identifying their sources, deciding on the technology to be utilised, community contracting and implementation till the operations and maintenance aspects of the schemes. All contracting of goods, works, and services will be done at the user level itself for which adequate training will be provided and guidelines made available.

Utilization of available resources - The Schemes already operational in these project areas, will also be rehabilitated, and handed over to the User groups. This will ensure efficient utilization of investments made.

Dovetailing with Decentralised Planning - This project will be operationalised through the Grama Panchayaths and the beneficiary groups, thereby acknowledging and strengthening the efforts of decentralised planning in Kerala.