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The Urban Management Center is happy to bring out

the inaugural issue of the Jal Darshan as part of their

five year project, Performance Assessment of Urban

Water and Sanitation (PAS) in India. The prime objec-

tive of the project is to assess and improve the perfor-

mance of the Water and Sanitation services in urban

Gujarat and Maharashtra. The PAS project endeavors

to help improve local government capacities and skills,specifically in the water and sanitation sector by fa-

cilitating sharing of knowledge, information and urban

management practices. Project envisages development

of several Key indicators-dash board indicators which

would enable evaluation of utility status as this is of im-

mediate concern to citizens. Project would also attempt

nailing of each utility with reliability scale related to the

prevailing strategies adopted for its routine functioning.

This would motivate them to improve its functioning to

achieve the higher reliability. The entire exercise would

lead to the Benchmarking process. .

Benchmarking is generally understood as a process of

identifying the highest standards of excellence for ser-

vices and then making the improvements necessary to

reach those standards. However, this project will employ

benchmarking to identify policy reforms, needed invest-

ments and service inequities that impair critical service

improvements. The main objectives are to build local

ownership and capacity for regular performance moni-toring, establish links with financing mechanisms that

incentivize effective use of this information and ensure

sustainability of benchmarking process by integrating it

with normal planning and budgeting processes.

This quarterly newsletter will bring to you updates of

the activities being undertaken under the PAS project,

leading practices and improvements in the water supply

and sanitation sector. This inaugural issue is a brief in-

troduction to PAS project. The future editions will bringyou more details of events, results and features of best

practices and innovative ideas

JalDarshanVolume 1. Issue 1. July 2010

Editorial

In this issue:

Editorial

About PAS

Assessing Performance

Progress of PAS

Good Practices

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1UMC, 3rd Floor, AUDA Building, Usmanpura, Ahmedabad-380 014Telefax: 079-27546403/5303/1599 Email: [email protected] URL: www.umcasia.orgURBAN MANAGEMENT CENTRE

in collaboration with ICMA

A quarterly newsletter by the Urban Management Centre-ICMA/SA

(For Private Circulation Only)


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The Performance Assessment of Urban Water and Sani-

tation (PAS) in India, an action research project being

coordinated by CEPT University has been initiated with

funding support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The project to be implemented over five years (2009-

13) in Gujarat and Maharashtra aims to develop a perfor-

mance measurement and monitoring system for water

and sanitation services. Under the project, four rounds of

data collection will be undertaken covering all the urban

local bodies in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

The collated data would be annually monitored for per-

formance on various developed benchmarks. This infor-

mation database will help decision makers and local gov-

ernments to bring efficiency in service delivery, effective

budget allocation and inclusive coverage. The emerginglessons will be shared at the national level. The Urban

Management Center (UMC) and All India Institute of

Local Self Governance (AIILSG) are CEPTs project part-

ners in Gujarat and Maharashtra respectively.

About PAS

Over the years, the country has made impressive gains

in terms of developing infrastructure for water and sani-

tation services in urban areas. A WHO/UNICEF report

states, water supply is extended to 96 percent and sani-

tation to 82 percent urban households. However, the

end users across various strata face problems includ-

ing inadequate quality, uneven supply, low water pres-sure and inequity in distribution of services. The urban

poor especially, are at the receiving end and have to toil

a lot in getting access to water and sanitation. A major

impediment in remedial action, ensuring proper allo-

cation and improving the Urban Water and Sanitation

Services (UWSS) is lack of dependable information col-

lection system to assess and monitor the performance

of UWSS. Furthermore, there are no standards against

which performance can be gauged. The absence of rig-orous information collection system further negatively

impacts the financial viability of municipal bodies mak-

ing it difficult to recover the operating costs through

tariffs Revision or other suitable measures.

Background:

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Map Depicting 166 Urban Local Bodies of Gujarat


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Under this backdrop, the PAS project aims to introduce

robust data collection system, wherein data on the

performance of the UWSS will be consistently collect-

ed and monitored against various standards. Addition-

ally, the availability of such information will help State

Governments in Gujarat and Maharashtra to implement

performance linked grants, track performance on reform

commitments under the programs like Jawaharlal Nehru

National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM/UIDSSMT)

and also possibly reward better performing local govern-

ments.

PAS in Gujarat:

Gujarat with 38 percent of its population living in 166

urban centers is the third most urbanized state in the

country. The water and sanitation service provision, op-

eration and maintenance of systems in urban areas are

a function of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) in the state. The

ULBs operate under Urban Development and Housing

Department, Government of Gujarat (GoG) along with

its associated departments and entities. The growing

urbanization in the state has resulted in added pressure

on ULBs. Moreover, the state has also been witness to

pollution of surface water sources and over-drawal of

ground water. Today, less than a third of ULBs in the

state are partially covered with sewerage services and

have inadequate treatment capacities.

The GoG on its part has been constantly taking initia-

tives to improve the UWSS scenario. Projects like Sardar

Sarovars Narmada Canal based Drinking Water Supply

Project, the largest of its kind in India has put the State

in a water surplus situation. Other initiatives include

convergence of all departments dealing with water re-

sources and bulk water supply along with large-scale

state-wide sanitation programs. The issue today is more

of inefficient water delivery system and financial man-

agement. It is here that PAS project with updated UWSS

information

The key components of PAS project are:

To develop and implement a performance measure-

ment system for regular and reliable water and sanita-

tion information. In the first round, information will be

collected from ULBs by UMC team. However, in subse-

quent rounds, ULB staff will make a self-assessment of

their performance based on improved reliability for its

data generation.. This will be supported with training

and verification.

To design and share results with ULBs, State Govern-

ment agencies, other stakeholders and media through

performance monitoring and dissemination system en-

abling appropriate decision making, providing incen-

tives and influencing demand.

To facilitate development of performance improve-

ment plans by ULBs with assistance from State/Cen-

tral Governments, NGOs and the private sector. This

will happen through availability of benchmarks and

information on performance of other ULBs from regu-

lar monitoring. The project will additionally, extend as-

sistance to local governments to develop performance

improvement plans (PIPs) for reaching the poor and un-

served. This will also help in increasing financial viability

through improved operational efficiency. tariff revision,

billing and collection efficiency improvement. Guidancemodules for ISIP & PIPs will be developed through pilot

applications in a few cities.

Assessing Performance of

Urban Water and Sanitation

Services in Gujarat

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UMC along with CEPT University has been consistently

working on PAS Project implementation over the past

few months. The first in the series of initiatives under-

taken was pilot level data collection on Urban Water

and Sanitation Services (UWSS) in the state before

commencing the first round of data collection. The UMC

team also developed profiles of 159 municipalities in

the state as a preparatory step for the first round of data

collection. Additionally, a project launch workshop was

also organized earlier this year by UMC.

Data Collection in Pilot Cities:

UMC began work on the integral project component of

UWSS data collection with guidance and support from

Ministry of Urban Development, Government of Gujaratand Gujarat Urban Development Company and Director

of Municipalities. For this exercise, 11 cities were select-

ed. The pilot cities were selected on basis of various pa-

rameters comprising of a citys size, geographical loca-

tion, access to Narmada water, ground water condition

and agro-climatic zones.

The cities chosen for final selection comprised of

Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Deesa, Dhandhuka,

Dhrol, Jasdan, Kalol, Kutiyana, Morbi and Upleta. Dur-ing several visits to these cities, the UMC team met up

with the department heads, and accessed ULB records,

Directorate of Municipalities formats and financial bal-

ance sheets. Data on water supply, sewerage, sanitation

and solid waste management was also gathered. To cap-

ture data on service delivery to slum dwellers, the team

visited slum pockets in each of the cities. It employed

Mapping Exercise to gain an insight and understand the

city services.

City Profiles:Another task undertaken as part of the project by UMC

team was the preparation of city profiles of 159 mu-

nicipal bodies in the state, which provides a snapshot

of the citys profile with respect to water supply, sew-

erage, solid waste management, storm water drainage

and finance. This is a useful and guiding document for

the team before the actual visits to the city for the first

round on data collection on UWSS.

Workshop:

A workshop was organized to launch the PAS project in

Ahmedabad in February 2009 by UMC along with CEPT

University. The aim of this workshop was to discuss the

scope and objectives of the PAS program with relevant

State Government Institutions and garner support from

the pilot city officials. The workshop was well attended

with presence of Hon. Mayor of Bhavnagar, state gov-ernment officials, Municipal Commissioners of Ahmed-

abad and Surat, Chief Officers and officials from the pilot

cities.

Progress

of PAS in

Gujarat

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Waste to Compost Initiatives in Jasdan,

Dhrol and Kutiyana Municipalities

There has been increasing significance of promoting ef-

ficient management of solid wastes in the State. This is

reflected in the various initiatives started by the State

Government in this context. An example of this is the

setting up of a Solid Waste Vermi-composting Treat-

ment Plant at Jasdan. The facility has been installed and

commissioned by Gujarat Urban Development Compa-

ny, while the site is operated by an NGO, Jay Parshuram

Seva Sangathan Samiti. The Jasdan Municipality col-

lects the waste and brings it to the treatment site. The

site receives about two tons of organic waste daily. The

Jasdan Municipality has used the manure for supporting

its urban forestry and greening initiative. Similarly, Dhrol

and Kutiyana too have adopted such an initiative.

Upletas custom-made software has

helped the municipality get into the fully-

computerized mode

In an effort to increase its operational efficiency, Uple-

tas Municipality changed from manual operations of tax

collection, bill preparation, record maintenance and tax

calculation to a fully computerized system. The software

was developed as per the needs of the Municipality.

With the computerization of operations, a composite bill

and receipt of all taxes is issued. The software includes a

user-friendly facility wherein property tax details can be

searched only by the initials of the name.

In another effort, efficient door to door solid waste col-

lection in Upleta has sent across a significant message

on cleanliness and hygiene across the city. Solid waste

is collected from each household and transferred to the

collection point in covered auto vans.

Good

PracticesProducing compost for a greener city

Driving efficiency through automation

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UMC: Urban Management Centre is a not for profit or-

ganization based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat and working

towards professionalizing urban management in India

and South Asia. UMC provides technical assistance andsupport to the Indian state local government associa-

tions and implements programs that work towards im-

provement in cities by partnering with city governments.

UMC builds and enhances the capacity of city govern-

ments by providing much-needed expertise and ready

access to innovations on good governance implemented

in India and abroad UMC is a legacy organization of

International City/County Management Association

(ICMA) and hence is also known as ICMA-South Asia.

More details on www.umcasia.org

PAS, a five year action research project has been initiat-

ed by CEPT University with funding support from Bill and

Melinda Gates Foundation. PAS aims to develop better

information on water and sanitation performance at the

local level to be used to improve the financial viability,

quality and reliability of services. It will use performance

indicators and benchmarks on water and sanitation ser-

vices in all the 400 plus urban areas of Gujarat and Ma-

harashtra. The Urban Management Center and All India

Institute of Local Self Governance are CEPTs project

partners in Gujarat and Maharashtra respectively.

More Details: www.pas.org.in; www.spcept.ac.in

City governments are continuously adapting their

techniques, systems and approaches in their pursuit of

providing improved services to citizens. Through this

newsletter, UMC brings to you such leading practicesfrom across India and South Asia to you. We have done

research and validation with support from city govern-

ments in authenticating the facts and information on

which the practices are based. We acknowledge all the

municipal officials and urban experts who have helped

us in compiling such innovative practices. However, if

you would require more details, please contact us.

Please send your articles, feedback to

[email protected]

If you wish not to receive this newsletter, kindly send a

mail to [email protected] .

See www.umcasia.org for earlier newsletters.

Urban water and Urban Sanitation Services are important

but forgotten issues until there is a breakdown which has

large scale effect. The indicators being developed under PAS

will serve as a tool to improve service level with all sorts of

limited resources of ULBs.

Chetan Dave,Chief Officer, Upleta Municipality

URBAN MANAGEMENT CENTRE

in collaboration with ICMA

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