Informal Sector

Featured Articles
October 17, 2022 While informal groundwater markets cater significantly to the needs of smallholder farmers in India, they continue to be unacknowledged and understudied.
Groundwater, a finite resource (Image Source: TV Manoj via Wikimedia Commons)
December 7, 2020 The new farm related bills will spell doom for women workers who form the bulk of small and marginal sections of Indian agriculture, warns Mahila Kisan Adhikaar Manch (MAKAAM).
Farm women, overworked and underpaid (Image Source: India Water Portal)
October 21, 2019 In this interview, Joy talks about his work as an activist working in rural Maharashtra, and how he came to work on water conflicts in India.
KJ Joy speaks at a felicitation for the late Professor Ramaswamy Iyer.
September 24, 2019 Policy matters this week
Despite the ban, manual scavenging continues. (Image courtesy: The Hindu)
September 13, 2019 Arecanut farmers in Karnataka are reeling from dipping groundwater levels and infrequent water supply for irrigation. In this article, some solutions are proposed.
Young arecanut trees grown in drylands of Tumkur region (Gubbi Taluk, Hodalur Village) Pic Credit: Chandana Eswar
Water and Poverty - A case of watershed development in Andhra Pradesh - Asian Development Bank
A case study hat attempts to understand the potential of watershed development in addressing the issues of poverty alleviation Posted on 17 Sep, 2009 02:32 PM

This report published by the Asia Development Bank includes a case study that attempts to understand the potential of watershed development in addressing the issues of poverty alleviation. The important issues in this regard include:

  • Assessing the linkages between watershed development and rural livelihoods & poverty,
  • Type and nature of benefit flows accruing to various sections of the community
  • Challenges in making the watershed programme pro-poor and sustaining it in the long run.
Rural schools in Rajasthan -The Barefoot College experience
Best Practices in Water Management-Case Studies from Rural India-2005 German Agro Action, 2005
Posted on 12 Sep, 2009 04:27 PM



In 2003, the Ministry of Water Resources sanctioned a pilot project to harvest rainwater in 100 rural schools across 13 states in the country through 20 village Community Based Organizations (CBOs). The project aimed to provide adequate water for drinking and sanitation by collecting rainwater from the roof tops of school buildings and storing this in underground water tanks. The Barefoot College, Tillonia outlines the simple and low cost traditional technique which can serve as a permanent sweet drinking water source for school children in rural areas.

Case studies on drinking water from Whitman Direct Action's "Water Book"
Description of Byrraju Foundation's work Posted on 09 Sep, 2009 11:22 AM

Sujala Scheme: The Byyraju Foundation's manual for setting up a locally managed, rural drinking water plant. The Foundation's drinking water initiative covers 154 villages across five districts of Andhra Pradesh via 31 village-level treatment plants.
Read More (Size: 2.1 MB)
Byrraju Foundation website

Save Ganga Movement- An initiative to protect river Ganga
Link to the collaborated initiative of people from different walks of life to save river Ganges Posted on 04 Sep, 2009 05:58 PM

Many NGOs are working along with communities and industries to save rivers in India. The river Ganga is relevant culturally, and its waters have been used extensively by industries and communities. At the same time, industrial and agricultural discharge or waste is being dumped at many stretches.

Mazhapolima - A community based well recharge programme
A project report on a community based well recharge programme in Kerala to recharge ground water and improve supply of drinking water Posted on 04 Sep, 2009 05:34 PM

When stakeholders come together, they can address critical water related issues.

NREGA is making a difference to the lives of the rural poor: An article from Frontline magazine
"Battle for work", is a cover page article from the magazine Frontline (Vol. 26 :: No. 01, Jan 03 - 16, 2009 Issue), on how the NREGA is making a difference to the lives of the rural poor, in an unprecedented achievement in the history of social security in India. Posted on 29 Aug, 2009 12:33 PM

Read the main article: " Battle for work" by Jean Dreze and Reetika Khera.

A moment for "He who fixes your pipe and She who cleans your home"
The article Posted on 22 Jun, 2009 11:41 AM

Image and Content Courtesy: Avinash Krishnamurthy, BIOME Environmental Solutions Pvt. Ltd.,

Meet Muniyappa and his team of well diggers. They have dug over a 150 wells with us in the last two years and perhaps more than a 1000 wells in their life time. While digging Muniswamy (or someone else in the team) is drenched in sweat and is bare chested. He climbs up and down the well which can be upto 40 ft deep on footholds 2 inches deep that he himself digs into the sidewalls of the wells. When he is deep down under, digging, and soil has to be hauled up, Srinivasu and Muniyappa are precariously perched on the side of the well pulling up the rope that holds the basket full of soil. And then once the well is dug, concrete rings (each weighing in the range of 75 Kg to 250 Kgs depending on the size of the well) are introduced down from the top with the help of the rope - and the sinews of Muniyappa, Srinivasu or Muniswamy. And during this process, Muniswamy virtually climbs in and out of the well for each ring that is introduced.

International summit on "Water Governance- Critical Issues For All" by ASSOCHAM
ASSOCHAM under its Cool The Earth , Initiative is organizing International Summit on "Water Governance , Critical Issues For All" Posted on 02 Jun, 2009 09:57 AM

Guest Post by: D. S. Rawat,ASSOCHAM

Image and Content Courtesy: ASSOCHAM It is our great privilege to inform you that ASSOCHAM under its Cool The Earth , Initiative is organizing International Summit on "Water Governance , Critical Issues For All"at 9.00 a.m. on June 24, 2009 at ASSOCHAM House, New Delhi. Our initiative is supported by the Ministry of Water Resources, UNESCO, International Water Management Institute, and Water Technology Centre, (IARI), KPMG (as knowledge partner) and other prominent organizations in water sector. As is evident, Water is going to be of increasing critical importance to countries like India in the coming years. ASSOCHAM has been carrying out special studies and surveys on water conservation and related issues. Our view is that water is going to be as integral part of whole infrastructure system as roads, power, etc in the development process in future. During informal consultations with government officials, experts and NGO's, we have been advised to raise awareness about water management among the consumers, industrial houses, agriculturists, environmentalists, NGO's, media, etc. so as to generate priority concern for all and to help find right solutions.

Regional meeting - "Mazhapolima", Thrissur
Regional meeting to discuss the effects of the Mazhapolima program. Posted on 02 Jun, 2009 09:22 AM

Forwarded to the Portal by: Nitya Jacob, UN

Dr Kurien Baby, District Collector of Trissur, Kerala, and Solution Exchange Water Community are organizing a regional meeting to discuss the effects of the Mazhapolima program. The dates are 16-17 June 2009, and it will be held in Trissur.

Background

Kerala has among the highest well densities in India, and 71% of the population depends on them for drinking water. The aggregate household investment in the state on wells is pegged at Rs 1800 crore and they have a combined yield potential of 6.6 million cu m per day. That works out to a water availability of 197 litres of water per capita per day (lpcd), well above the government's prescribed norm of 140 lpcd. These wells are threatened. Despite an annual rainfall of 3,000 mm, 70% go dry in summer. The surface runoff is heavy, and therefore groundwater levels in several blocks have fallen sharply, and coupled with saline intrusion at an accelerated pace, have led to water quality problems.

Training on result oriented approach to livelihood projects by Development Alternatives
As part of the Capacity Building Series (2009- 10) Development Alternatives is organizing training on 'A Result Oriented Approach to Livelihood Projects' Posted on 25 May, 2009 11:20 AM

Image and Content Courtesy: Development Alternatives As part of the Capacity Building Series (2009- 10) Development Alternatives is organizingA Result Oriented Approach to Livelihood Projects from 12-14 June 2009. The training is organized by the TARA Livelihood Academyand will be held at the Institute of Social Science, 8 Nelson Mandela Road, New Delhi. Complete information regarding the subjects covered, detailed plans & nomination formats can be accessed here:

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