Community Initiative In Rural Water Supply: The Success Story Of Jorhat Sub Division Of Assam

Community Initiative in rural water supply is encouraged by the Government of India in 2006 under National Rural Drinking Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance Programme   .But the community initiative in supplying water in rural area was encouraged much earlier in 1993 by Public Health Engineering Department in Jorhat sub division of Assam. With an unique model developed by an engineer, A.B. Paul, Bangal Pukhuri water users’ committee started supplying piped water to households. The model shows a paradigm shift from project mode to performance mode.  Now the sub division has 177 active water users’ committees providing water supply to thousands of households.  This is done without the involvement of Panchayats. Government policies can be successful if the communities and beneficiaries take the responsibility of implementing and making it a success. Jorhat sub division exemplifies it by managing the supply and monitoring the water quality efficiently.