Gram-Panchayat handbook 2015

A practical handbook for Gram Panchayats and Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) to plan, implement, operate, maintain, monitor, and manage sustainable rural drinking-water services under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP).

About Dataset

A Handbook for Gram Panchayats: To Help Them Plan, Implement, Operate, Maintain and Manage Drinking Water Security is a guidance document prepared for the Department of Drinking Water Supply, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. It supports Gram Panchayats (GPs), Gram Sabhas, Pani Samitis/VWSCs, operators, and handpump caretakers in achieving drinking-water security in rural areas. The handbook presents a five-phase approach: preparatory, planning, implementation, operation and maintenance, and monitoring, audit and reporting. It explains the roles of the Gram Sabha, Gram Panchayat, Sarpanch, ward members, VWSC, operators, and handpump caretakers. It promotes inclusive community institutions, with VWSCs comprising about 6–12 members, including 50% women and representation from SCs, STs, poorer sections, and all habitations. It provides step-by-step guidance for preparing a Village Water Security Plan through community mobilisation, resource mapping, field surveys, water budgeting, water-source planning, water-safety planning, service-improvement planning, and annual operation-and-maintenance planning. The handbook also covers water-quality monitoring, testing of physical, chemical, and bacteriological parameters, household hygiene, source protection, sanitation linkages, water-user charges, financial management, social audit, and reporting. The document highlights source sustainability measures such as rooftop rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, village ponds, check dams, percolation tanks, infiltration wells, and rehabilitation of traditional water bodies. It also describes institutional support from District Water and Sanitation Missions, Public Health Engineering Departments, Block Resource Centres, water-testing laboratories, support organisations, and State Institutes of Rural Development. The institutional-support diagram on page 13 illustrates the coordination among households, Gram Sabha, VWSC, Gram Panchayat, operators, Block Resource Centre, and district-level institutions.

Purpose of Dataset

The Purpose Of This Handbook Is To Strengthen Gram Panchayat-led, Community-managed Rural Drinking-water Governance. It Aims To Help Villages Ensure Adequate, Safe, Reliable, And Sustainable Drinking Water For Households And Livestock Through Participatory Planning, Local Ownership, Source Sustainability, Water-quality Surveillance, Effective Operation And Maintenance, Financial Accountability, Community Contribution, And Regular Monitoring.