In India, providing water supply and sanitation (WSS) services is primarily the responsibility of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). However, in most cities in India, the availability, accessibility, quality and adequacy of such services is deficit. Despite considerable resources being spent each year, access to WSS services is a distant dream for many urban citizens, particularly the poor and marginalised. One of the important reasons for such ineffective and non-responsive service is the lack of transparency and accountability in local governance institutions. This project was conceptualised with the premise that strengthening and promoting social accountability would enhance participation, transparency, accountability and effectiveness in public service provisions. In other words, by institutionalising social accountability mechanisms, the likelihood of realising good urban governance would significantly be enhanced. The overall goal of the project was to improve the quality of urban services, particularly water supply and sanitation (WSS) services, in select cities in India.
The objective of the project was to provide support to ULBS in five JNNURM cities to design, establish and pilot appropriate social accountability mechanisms in the context of water supply and sanitation (WSS) services.
Jaipur (Rajasthan), Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Ranchi (Jharkhand), Patna (Bihar), and Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)
An assessment and analysis of the current situation of social accountability practices with respect to WSSS for the selected cities
Background research for best practices on social accountability mechanisms
Establishing a system for citizen monitoring of services by formulating indices and mobilising citizens
Building capacities of municipalities for improved transparency and accountability in the context of service delivery
Designing, establishing and piloting appropriate Citizen Charters, Grievance Redressal systems and Pro-active Disclosure of Information for WSS in the selected cities
Designing and promoting appropriate social Aaccountability tools to measure and enhance citizen voices in WSS services
Conducting Citizen Report Card in each of the selected cities focusing on WSS
Developing capacities and awareness of citizens through orientation, mobilisation and campaign
Organising city level multi-stakeholder interface dialogues
Project monitoring, documentation and dissemination of best practices
Prepared five city level assessment reports and analyses of the current situation of social accountability practices with respect to WSS services
Designed, established and piloted Citizen Charters, Grievance Redressal Systems and Pro-active Disclosure of Information in the context of WSS services in five cities
Conducted five city level Citizen Report Cards in the selected cities
Documentation, publication and dissemination of lessons learnt, including two occasional papers
2008 to 2010
Swiss International Development Cooperation (2008-09) Water and Sanitation Programme, the World Bank, New Delhi (2009-10)