FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS
SWAJALDHARA
Q.1. What is safe drinking water?
Ans: Safe drinking water should have the following characteristics: Colourless (b) Odorless (c) Free from bacteriological contamination and (d) Free from chemical contamination.
Q.2. What are the linkages between drinking water, sanitation and health?
Ans: Taking safe drinking water and observing sanitation related hygiene practices would help maintain sound health. Neglecting any one of these will lead to ill health.
Q.3. When was Swajaldhara launched?
Ans: Swajaldhara was launched on 25th December 2002.
Q.4. What are the principles of Swajaldhara?
Ans: Swajaldhara has certain fundamental reform principles, which need to be adhered to by the State Governments and the Implementing Agencies. The principles are as follows:-
· Adoption of a demand-responsive, adaptable approach along with community participation based on empowerment of villagers to ensure their full participation in the project through a decision making role in the choice of the drinking water scheme, planning, design, implementation, control of finances and management arrangements;
· Full ownership of drinking water assets with appropriate levels of Panchayats,
Q.5. What are the components of Swajaldhara?
Ans: Swajaldhara has some key components which includes Start up- (IEC, mobilization, etc) capacity development, institution building such as Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSC) at Gram Panchayat, Scheme / System Planning and implementation, water quality control, community participation in contribution and implementation, sustainability of sources, and operation and maintenance,
Q.6. How many dharas (Streams) the Swajaldhara consists of? What is the area of operation of these two dharas (Streams)?
Ans: Swajaldhara is implemented in two streams-First Dhara (Swajaldhara I) is for a Gram Panchayat (GP) or a group of GPs or an intermediate Panchayat (at Block/Tehsil level) and the Second Dhara (Swajaldhara II) has District as the Project area.
Q.7. When can one take up a drinking water project under Swajaldhara-II?
Ans: If more than 50% of block/GPs in a particular district had opted for Swajaldhara-I, and then the State Government considers expansion of the project under Swajaldhara-II with the additional grants.
Q.8. Who sanctions Swajaldhara-I?
Ans: District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) sanctions the Swajaldhara-I.
Q.9. Who constitutes the DWSM?
Ans: The DWSM consists of:
Q.10. What type of environment is necessary for the implementation of Swajaldhara-I?
Ans: GPs should have powers, finances and support infrastructure for planning, designing implementation and O & M of Drinking Water Projects. However, guidance is extended by DWSM. Certain criteria is needed for effective implementation which are given below:
Q.11 What are the important objectives of Swajaldhara programme?
Ans: Swajaldhara is a community led
participatory programme, which aims:
(a) Providing safe drinking water in rural areas with full ownership of the community
(b) Building awareness among the village community on the management of drinking water projects including better hygiene practices
(c) Encourage water conservation practices along with rainwater harvesting.
Q.12 What are the salient features of Swajaldhara?
Ans: The salient features of Swajaldhara are
a) Extending the safe drinking water facility to the village community as per the need/demand
b) Encouraging community participation in execution as well as operation and maintenance (O & M) of the project.
c) Cultivating the habit of observing better hygiene practices
d) Cost sharing, demand-driven and user management system
e) Appropriate Technologies
Q.13 Is there any capital costs contribution component by the community in the programme?
Ans: Yes, upto 10% of the capital cost of the project has to be contributed by the village community.
Q.14 In what form the community has to bear 10% capital cost?
Ans: Up to 50% should be in cash and the balance could be in the form of kind/labour/land or a combination of these.
Q.15. What is the arrangement made in case community contribution crosses 10% of the capital cost?
Ans: The excess amount can be used for Operation & Maintenance (O&M) cost.
Q.16 Are the community based institutions permitted to contribute to Swajaldhara?
Ans: Yes, the community-based institutions are permitted to contribute to Swajaldhara but such contributions should be kept in a separate account and used for O&M only.
Q.17 Are there any restrictions for cash contribution?
Ans: Yes, there are some restrictions Contributions from ‘Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme’ (MPLADS), or ‘Member of Legislative Assembly Constituency Development Scheme’ (MLACDS), which are government schemes, are prohibited.
Q.18. Who provides the balance 90% amount of the project?
Ans: Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India through State Governments and District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) provides the balance 90A% amount of the project.
Q.19. Who is eligible under the programme?
Ans: All the residents in the village are eligible under the programme.
Q.20. What should the villagers do to get the benefit?
Ans: The benefits under Swajaldhara are extended to the entire village in general. Specifically one needs to approach the VWSC for household connections and ward/hamlet connectivity.
Q.21. What are the procedures for becoming entitled to the benefits?
Ans: The only procedure is to get registered as a member user in the stand-post committee by giving agreement for payment of water and other O&M charges as decided by the VWSC.
Q.22. Who will guide him/her in case of any clarification regarding the programs?
Ans: Either Panchayat of VWSC gives guidance/clarification if and when required.
Q.23. Who is the authority to be contacted in case of complaints misappropriation etc.?
Ans: Such issues can be raised in Gram Sabha meetings/VWSC meetings or can be reported to the Block/Zilla Panchayat or DWSM Authorities.
Q.24. Who manages the project at village level during implementation and on completion of the Scheme/Project?
Ans: Gram Panchayat/VWSM manages the project on completion.
Q.25. Who the is Chairperson for VWSC?
Ans: It is Gram Panchayat Pradhan/President/aPanchat Member/other designated persons elected by the members of the VWSC.
Q.26. Who implements the Swajaldhara in case it covers more than one GP?
Ans: In such cases, a joint VWSC is constituted by involving the concerned GP representatives constitutes a joint VWSC.
Q.27. What is the composition of VWSC?
Ans: It consists of the following representatives
Q.28. What are the activities of VWSC?
Ans:
Q.29. What is the role of women in the scheme?
Ans: At least one-third members of VWSC shall be women and they should get preference in training for repair of hand pumps, etc.
Q.30. How the programme will help the villager to improve his/her quality of life?
Ans:
Q.31. What are the important norms adopted by the government for making available drinking water for humans and animals in the programme?
Ans:
(a) 40 liters of safe drinking water per capita per day (lpcd) for humans
(b) 30 lpcd additional water for cattle in the Desert Development Areas
(b) One hand pump or stand post for every 250 persons
(c) Water source within the habitation/within 1.6km distance in the plains and below 100m elevation in hilly areas.
Q.32. In case all the GPs in a district are already covered with 40-lpcd water supply through any state scheme can they still take up Swajaldhara?
Ans: Yes, to improve the water availability or up to 55 lpcd, the Swajaldhara can be taken up. However, in such cases the community has to bear 20 per cent of the capital cost of the project.
Q.33. What is the duration/project cycle of Swajaldhara-I?
Ans: The duration for the implementation of Swajaldhara-I is 12-18 months.
Q.34. What is the scheme cycle of Swajaldhara?
Ans: The scheme cycle is nothing but the different phases of the project adopted for implementation. They include
Q.35. In how many installments the funds under Swajaldhara-I are released?
Ans: The funds under Swajaldhara-I are released in two installments.
Q.36. What is the procedure adopted for the release of installments?
Ans: The first installment is released on sanction of the project. The second installment on scrutiny of audit and submission of utilization certificates and other records received from the DWSM and Gram Panchayat/VWSC.
Q.37. What are the inadmissible items under the project?
Ans: The inadmissible items under the project are
Q.38. What procedure has to be adopted for maintaining grants/funds of the project?
Ans: The procedures include
Q.39. How the project is monitored/reviewed?
Ans: The project is monitored/reviewed through
Q.40. What is Operation & Maintenance (O&M)?
Ans: The O&M activity consists of the technical and maintenance aspects of any given water system. The operating costs include electricity charges, consists of recurring costs like salary of operators, electricity charges as well as periodic repair and renewal of drinking water project systems.
Q.41. Is there any corpus fund under Swajaldhara?
Ans: Yes, the corpus fund should be collected from the water users. The corpus fund should be sufficient to meet the O & M costs of the scheme for at least six months. It should remain intact and may be made use of to meet renewal/replacement of operating system and major repair costs.
Q.42. Who has to pay the operation cost/water charges of the project?
Ans: The water users in the village should fully meet all the O & M expenses. The amount ranges from RS.20/- to RS.50/- per family for families having household connection and RS.5/- to RS.10/- per family for the families collecting water from the public stand posts.
Q.43. Who helps in planning, monitoring and evaluation of the ‘Swajaldhara project?
Ans: DWSM/VWSC, /Public Health Engineering Department/Panchayat Raj Engineering Department.
Q.44. Is there any partial financial support by the Government for the project towards O & M/
Ans: There is no partial financial support by the Government for the project towards O & M. It should be met from corpus/reserve fund of the VWSC, /GP. However, on successful operation of the Swajaldhara project for at least 12 months, the Government of India provides up to 10% of the capital cost as one time incentive to the O & M fund of the VWSC/GP.
Q.45. Is there any system followed for sustainability of the project?
Ans: Yes, water conservation methods through rainwater harvesting for groundwater recharge are being adopted for sustainability of the project. The village users should also adopt appropriate water conservation methods.
Q.46. Is there any training component in the ‘Swajaldhara’ Project?
Ans: Yes,
Q.47. Is any option given to VWSC in selection of water system (hand pump, piped water supply)?
Ans: Yes, option is given to VWSC in the selection of the water system i.e. either hand pump, or piped water supply or both.
Q.48. How is the water Quality monitored?
Ans: The water quality is monitored
a) Through domestic and community water testing kits
b) By sending water samples at frequent intervals to the water testing labs
c) Collecting water samples periodically from the open/dug wells by the sub-Centres health workers.
Q.49. Is tree plantation a part of the project?
Ans: Yes, the tree plantation is encouraged for adoption by the community as the green cover reduces evaporation rate of surface water and well water.
Q.50. In What way Gram Panchayat is involved in the project?
Ans: The project for the village is designed, planned and proposed by the Gram Panchayat through VWSC. Nominating Panchayat Pradhan as Chairperson of the VWSC implements the project through Gram Panchayat.
Q.51. Is there any role played by the SC, ST and Women members of Gram Panchayat in the project?
Ans: Yes, the SC, ST and Women members of Gram Panchayat have ‘reservations’ in the VWSC and mostly priority is given to this section. One third of the VWSC membership is reserved for women.
Q.52. Is there any preference given to SC, ST and Backward Community Habitations in the project?
Ans: Yes, preference is given to SC, ST and Backward Communities by way of locating the water schemes in the habitations on priority.
Q.53 What is the concession for SC/ST towards community contribution?
Ans: In the case of Schedule Tribes and Schedule Caste Habitations (where SC population caste is more than 50% of the total population), the cash contribution will be 25% of the stipulated community contribution
Q.54 Who nominates the persons for day-to-day operation (e.g. pump operator) of the drinking water project?
Ans: PO and Chaukidars are nominated by the VWSC wherein the Gram Panchayat Pradhan plays an active role and take ups the responsibility.
Q.55. Who collects and maintains the accounts of monthly water charges and other expenses?
Ans: A Member of the VWSC nominated by the Gram Panchayat/VWSC collects and maintains the accounts of monthly water charges and other expenses.
Q.56. What role is played by the Gram Sabha in ‘Swajaldhara’ project?
Ans:
a) Demand for and acceptance of the project itself
b) Type of water system (hand pump/dug well/piped water supply) is decided by the Gram Sabha,
c) Nomination/election of the VWSC members
d) Selection of locations for public stand posts in the village
e) Review of monthly water charges
f) Review the representation of SC, St and women memberships
g) Bring to the notice of the VWSC problems of O & M, if any.