Strengthening Equity in Rural Drinking Water Supply in Uttar Pradesh - A Local Government Perspective

Sammanfattning: This study examines equity and governance issues in rural drinking water supply (RDWS) in Uttar Pradesh, North India, in the context of the current decentralisation reforms in the sector. It reviews the available literature on decentralisation and illuminates different perspectives and arguments to provide a rationale for understanding the reform initiatives in Uttar Pradesh. The study then analyses and discusses the key challenges towards achieving equitable RDWS. The focus lies on the potential and constraints of the Panchayat Raj Institutions, the elected local governments, to contribute to increased equity in RDWS. The study utilises an actor-oriented methodology focused on the perceptions of the relevant actors and is based on inde-pendent, qualitative field research conducted by the author from October to December 2010 in two rural districts and in the state capital Lucknow. A total of 28 semi-structured interviews were conducted with rural residents, elected government officials, bureaucrats, government and non-state experts. The research findings reveal that the initiated reforms have not yet achieved increased equity in RDWS due to insufficient implementation, flaws in policy de-sign, and an external environment not conducive to reform. The study concludes that to achieve the set policy objectives, recognition of the complexity of the politico-economic con-text and its consideration in policy design are imperative.