Fostering Sustainable Development in Water Supply Management: Crucial Role of Credible HR Capacity Building

by Dharmendra Kumawat1 , Roopali Sharma2
1Executive Engineer at PHED, Rajasthan, India
2Professor, Department of Management, Birla Institute of Technology (BIT), Mesra, Jaipur Campus, India

10.46679/9788195732289ch01

Kumawat, D., & Sharma, R. (2024). Fostering Sustainable Development in Water Supply Management: Crucial Role of Credible HR Capacity Building. In R. Sharma, R. Pareek (Eds.), New Paradigms of Sustainability in the Contemporary Era (pp 1-14). CSMFL Publications. https://dx.doi.org/10.46679/9788195732289ch01

Abstract

Drinking water is the essence of life, so the concerns about its management touch millions of lives every day. Jal Jeevan Mission ambitiously targets for providing safe drinking water to each rural household in India on a mission mode. This project envisages pooling of resources (including human resources) Just in Time with lean overheads. Capacity building is not an option; it is, practically, ‘essential’ given the enormity of challenges during implementation and post-implementation phases of this project. Outsourcing cuts down government investments on grooming and fostering of staff. However, diminishing trade unionism, unorganized neo-trained workforce and feeble government control may affect the quality of employment fetched through the outsourcing agencies. This paper specifically examines the human resource capacities under Jal Jeevan Mission-Rajasthan, aiming to impart more sustainability in drinking water supply services. It documents issues related to transition in the institutional role, existing shortfalls in the capacities and suggests potential areas for strengthening. The study will empower young minds to work in a new framework, help policymakers to frame lasting policies and guide the outsourcing agencies to stretch beyond switching job-cards.

Keywords: Capacity building, Jal Jeevan Mission, Outsourcing, Sustainable development, Water Supply Management

This chapter is a part of: New Paradigms of Sustainability in the Contemporary Era (Eds. Roopali Sharma & Ritu Pareek)

© CSMFL Publications & its authors.

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