Tracing the Progress of Drinking Water Security in Rural India Through Policy Initiatives

Provision of potable drinking water on a sustainable basis is a basic necessity, more so in the rural areas of India. Continued pressure on the limited water resources from different sectors, leads to both quantitative and qualitative deterioration of this fragile natural system. A review of the government's efforts in implementing various programmes and policies has shown inadequate progress in providing sufficient quantity of potable water to rural households. With excessive dependence on ground water, the population is exposed to arsenic and fluoride contamination with hazardous effects on human health. India's water sector has, however, witnessed major policy and institutional changes, particularly since 1999. These reforms entail the provision of safe and adequate drinking water, participatory water management, greater responsibilities to local government, establishment of regulatory bodies, involvement of the private sector, and insistence on the economic value of water. These policy reforms are often portrayed as progressive attempts of change leading to more democratization, decentralization of governance, wider choice and the empowerment of rural communities. With major targets for 2017 and 2022, it has become necessary to review the success of these policy initiatives in providing drinking water security in rural India.