Water Supply and Sanitation: India Assessment – A WHO-UNICEF sponsored study by the Planning Commission of India

This country-level report on the assessment of drinking water supply and sanitation in India is the result of a collaborative exercise between the Planning Commission of India, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as part of a joint monitoring programme for the sector.

The report seeks to -

• Analyse the data and information collected at the national level for the global assessment report in order to review priorities, analyse problems and make recommendations that support the development objectives of the country
• Clarify any ambiguities that may exist in the data and information collected at country level and to provide information on any relevant national issue that may not have been covered by the global assessment report; and
• Support ongoing policy reform initiatives, to guide technical assistance programmes, and to stimulate investment in the sector.

It also serves as a broad base document, to monitor and assess progress of the sector in the years to come. Some of the key points made in the document are –

• Sectoral demands for water are growing rapidly in line with urbanisation, population increases, rising incomes and industrial growth, and urban India is fast emerging as centre of demand growth. As a result, per capita water availability has been falling.  
• While today, there is virtually no point of institutional interface between the departments dealing with water supply and sanitation and the Departments of Health and Family Welfare, the new National Health Policy 2002 advocates some steps towards developing such linkages. 
• While no comprehensive study on equity issues relating to water supply, sanitation, and health has been conducted for the country as a whole, common equity issues that plague the sector in most developing countries also hold true for India.
• In addition, comprehensive studies on the economic value of the water and sanitation sector in India also do not exist. 
• The water resources, RWSS, UWSS and health sectors have several strengths but also several critical factors influencing their performance.
• The currently on-going reform processes in the RWSS and UWSS sectors and the new National Water and Health Policies are important steps in the right direction. These should be sustained, and where necessary, augmented by further reform measures.
• It is also important to continue to build the capacities of states to better appreciate and better implement the reform programmes and the devolution of powers, including financial to PRIs in line with the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments. 

In sum, considering the sheer size of the country, the sheer numbers in terms of population, and the complex nature of its plural society and regional variations, India has made significant strides in the water and sanitation arena. Read More