| 4. In which ways is the initiative creative and innovative?
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Saurashtra, Kutch, North Gujarat and Panchmahal areas of Gujarat State are facing acute water scarcity throughout the year as in these areas the rainfall is scanty and there is no perennial river. Also, the underground sources are not adequate to cater the drinking water demand to overcome the drinking water supply problem. The Government of Gujarat has therefore conceived a major and challenging drinking water supply master plan based on Sardar Sarovar Narmada Canals as source of water for supplying drinking water to 8215 villages and 135 urban centers of above areas.
As per the award of the Narmada Tribunal, 1.06 MAF (3571 MLD) quantity of water is reserved in Sardar Sarovar and out of which 0.86 MAF (2900 MLD) will be used for drinking water purpose whereas 0.20 MAF (671 MLD) quantity of water is for industrial purpose.
The Sardar Sarovar Project on Narmada River has allocated 1.06 MAF of water for domestic and industrial use. The project aims at supplying 3571 MLD of drinking water (2900 MLD for domestic consumption and 671 MLD for industrial consumption) to 8215 villages and 135 towns of Saurashtra, Kutch, North Gujarat and Panchmahals. The primary estimated cost on base-price of year 1996 has worked out to Rs.4700 crore. The Planning Commission, GOI, New Delhi has approved the Master Plan of Government of Gujarat and is being implemented as Plan Project.
In the network of the Sardar Sarovar Canal, the water is to be drawn from seven off-take points i.e. A, B, C&K, D, M, H & P provided in the Narmada Main Canal, Saurashtra Branch Canal, Vallabhipur Branch Canal and Maliya Branch Canal and accordingly the project has been divided in 7 segments covering the project areas.
To monitor the project activities a High Level Empowered Committee has been constituted by Government formed under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary for implementing the Sardar Sarovar Canal Based Drinking Water Supply Project in which the Secretaries of concerned Departments of Government are the members.
For implementing the above master plan, the Government of Gujarat has established Gujarat Water Infrastructure Ltd. Till the formation of this Company, the project was implemented by Sardar Sarovar Canal Based Drinking Water Supply Project Cell under Water Supply Department and after registration on 26th Oct.’ 1999 the Company has started functioning independently. The basic function of the company is to formulate, implement, and maintain the Bulk water pipeline projects and to recover the cost from the beneficiaries. So far, the Government appointed five Directors.
The Gujarat Water Supply & Sewerage Board is implementing the Distribution Network Group Projects as connectivity to the Bulk water pipeline projects for supplying water to the beneficiaries. Moreover, the Board has also implemented the Bulk water pipeline projects as decided by the Water Supply Department.
1.Original plan was to cover 8215 villages and 135 urban centers of 12 districts as per census of 1991.
2.Under revised Master Plan for supply of drinking water 9633 villages and 131 urban centers of 17 districts are covered.
Against this master plan, the following progress has been achieved.
1.2684 Km Bulk Water Transmission main pipelines and 120769 Km distribution pipelines have been laid down
2.1600 Million Litre Daily (MLD) Narmada water supplied through Grid arrangements.
3.Approximately 70% of State’s population is supplied about 3000 MLD water.
4.11571 Villages and 131 Towns are connected through Water Grid.
5.23005 Water Storage Reservoir
6.181 Water Treatment Plant of 3000 MLD Capacity
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| 5. Who implemented the initiative and what is the size of the population affected by this initiative?
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1.Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (GWSSB): A Board constituted through an Act of Govt. of Gujarat is responsible for implementation and management of Regional Water Supply Schemes, filtration, chlorination and treatment of water and its distribution up to village / habitation level and to certain towns. The Board, being the prime water organization, responsively planned for State-wide Water Supply Grid and had initiated the process and had set up GWIL (Gujarat Water Infrastructures Limited).
2.Gujarat Water Infrastructure Ltd (GWIL) a Special Purpose Vehicle: GWIL has been registered as a company under Indian Company Act responsible for creation of infrastructure for bulk water transmission across the State.
3.Water and Sanitation Management Organisation (WASMO): WASMO has been established as an autonomous organisation in 2002-03. WASMO facilitates Pani Samitis and village community, generates awareness and builds up their capacity to enable them for planning and management of village water supply arrangements.
4.Gram Panchayat, Pani Samiti and Community: User’s are the Best Managers. Gram Panchayat, Pani Samiti, Village Community are empowered to plan, implement, manage, own and arrange operation of in-village water supply systems and services.
5.Irrigation Department & Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited for providing raw water at various planned off takes.
6.Farmers Total grid constitutes of more than 1, 20,000 kms of pipeline network. Farmers rightly understood the impact of water development work and they extended whole heartedly support by allowing lying of pipeline work peacefully in their agricultural land with “Right to Use provision.
7.Contractors & Suppliers is for executing and providing timely service to complete the task as per planning and schedule.
8.Revenue Department: The Revenue Department smoothened the process for making land available for creation of infrastructures such as pumping stations, treatment plants, storage reservoirs and laying of pipelines
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| 6. How was the strategy implemented and what resources were mobilized?
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Under the guidance of Water Supply Department, Government of Gujarat, Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (GWSSB) initiated to form a company; Gujarat Water Infrastructure Limited (GWIL). Committed engineers known for excellent performance at field level were deployed at GWIL to take up the planned works effectively and efficiently. GWSSB also with all possible strength and resources deployed dedicated team for development of State wide Water Supply Grid. Since the year 2002 to the end of March 2014, Rupees (INR) 171.93 billion have been spent out of which Government of Gujarat through State funds has provided Rupees 132.43 billion and Government of India contributed with the remaining sum of Rupees 39.49 billion.
The following committees have been set up for the purpose of implementation:
1.Technical Scrutiny Committee: The committee is responsible for technical verification of the project.
2.Tender Purchase Committee: The committee is responsible for justification and approval of tenders.
3.Monitoring and Evaluation Committee: To ensure periodical monitoring of the project.
4.Vigilance Team: The team ensures monitoring of the quality of the work in the project including preventive vigilance.
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| 7. Who were the stakeholders involved in the design of the initiative and in its implementation?
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1.11,571 villages have been covered through the State-wide water supply grid.
2.Water security has been ensured through availability of dual sources i.e. surface as well as ground water. In case of failure of one source, other source meets the water demand.
3.As per the survey of Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission in year 2003, 166 habitations were not covered with water supply, 9462 habitations with inadequate water supply and 7675 qualify affected habitations in Gujarat. Most of such habitations were covered under State-wide water supply grid by 2010.
4.75% households have access to tap water facility in rural areas of the State.
5.The people earlier were largely depended on single source and in summer/ drought period, due to drying up of source, tanker supply was resorted to tackle emergency. After grid development, tanker service has been drastically reduced from 4054 villages in year 2000 to just 478 villages in year 2012 and that too, tankers are filled up from nearby source.
6.Earlier large scale migration of cattle from the area of Kutch and Saurashtra used to occur during summer season in the years of water scarcity. Now a day’s migration of cattle due to non-availability of water has been prevented.
7.Only 72% of average rainfall in year 2012 monsoon resulted in heavy water scarcity for the State. Saurashtra region got only 57% of its average rainfall and Kachchh region had only 64% of rainfall. The Dams of Saurashtra and Kachchh region received only 5.5% water of its storage capacity in year 2012. The Water Supply Grid proved as a life line for Saurashtra and Kachchh region. As per one estimate Rs. 900 crore could be saved which would have been spent otherwise for tanker water supply in absence of water grid.
8.Assured availability of water availability has also led to industrial development in Kachchh.
9.Piped safe water is provided to soldiers deployed at the international border - Dharamshala in Kachchh district. Earlier the struggle for fetching water was going on through tanker service.
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| 8. What were the most successful outputs and why was the initiative effective?
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There is a well placed system for monitoring the progress and evaluation of the project. An Annual Action Plan keeping in view the overall strategy of the department including State Wide Water Supply Grid, is developed. Appropriate allocation of budget is also being done at the beginning of every year.
Once the project implementation starts, it is properly monitored through the progress reports received from the field units. There is a well placed mechanism for the monitoring once in a week at Sub-Division Level, fortnightly at Division level and monthly at the Head Office level. There is also a system for physical verification of work, surprise checking by Head Office and taking up preventive vigilance. Verification of quality of material used in pipeline and civil work is done and it is analysed at accredited laboratories of Central and State Government.
The following committees monitor project progress and evaluate activities:
1.Technical Scrutiny Committee: The committee is responsible for technical verification of the project.
2.Tender Purchase Committee: The committee is responsible for justification and approval of tenders.
3.Monitoring and Evaluation Committee: To ensure periodical monitoring of the project.
4.Vigilance Team: The team ensures monitoring of the quality of the work in the project including preventive vigilance.
Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) carried out socio-economic impact study of Statewide Water Supply Grid in the year 2013. 11483 households of 250 villages in 15 districts were randomly selected. The study finds that 94% villages had grid water supply whereas it was 100% in Kachchh district. 74% villages had household tap facility. Service frequency varied from 2 times a day to once in 2 days, but often once a day. About 85% grid-connected households reported payments of the charges annually up to Rs. 200. The survey findings shows that 87% households with grid water were happy as compared to just 25% non-grid households.
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| 9. What were the main obstacles encountered and how were they overcome?
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Huge bulky pipelines of different sizes even with diameter of 2.3 metres have been used. These pipelines pass through roads, railways tracks, forest areas, canal and oil and gas pipeline tracks etc. Prior statutory clearance is also mandatory before taking up works in such areas and initiation of paper process or compliance to certain procedures became a hindrance and was time consuming.
Water supply pipelines under the grid arrangements are laid beneath the ground on the land mostly owned by the farmers or private land owners. In laying the pipelines ‘Right to Use’ is obtained from land owners. More than 1.2 lac kilometres of pipelines are laid down for State Wide Drinking Water Supply Grid. Considering average 15 metre width of ‘Right to Use’ land it is estimated that about 4.5 lac acres of land have been used for the purpose. Intensive social mobilisation efforts have been made to obtain consent of about one lac land owners. Land owners were convinced after knowing the fact that such use does not affect their ownership. It is for a good cause of public utilities. The department continued its efforts to have the trust of people and farmers, who have cooperated with Water Supply department in taking forward the planned works. Effective coordination has been maintained with all concerned stakeholders including Revenue Department. Timely payment of all dues to all concerned stakeholders ensured that any delays or conflicts are avoided.
There is continuous enhancement in these utilities which could not be estimated at the time of preparation of the project. Timely approval of the same by different authorities of the Central and State Government is required to avoid delay in execution of planned works.
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