Maharashtra, Water Supply and Sanitation Department has  launched  the biggest rural water and sanitation project in the country funded by World Bank . The project is aptly titled as ‘Jalswarajaya’ (water freedom) and is currently being implemented in 27 of the 33 districts in the State. Projects with support from the KfW (German Government) are being funded in 3 district and  GoI in funding for the remaining 6 districts.

has enabled effectiveness of the reforms, promoted a shift away form the top down supply driven approaches from services delivery to more demand and responsive approaches which supports decision making the beneficiary level and encourage more responsible approaches towards financing and effectiveness of projects implement.

For project management and implementing the projects , RSPMU , reforms support and project management unit has been established at the state level, with district units at Zilla Parishad . The total staff at State is approx 100 with a staff of 25 members at each district. The teams at the state and district as a mix group of technical , administrative, social and financial skills.

In order to undertake large-scale reforms , GoM has roped in the services of ‘expert’ organizations in the form of ‘Capacity Building Consortiums’ (CBC) and resource persons . Each CBC, a consortium of various expertise’s, is made available at the district level to identify the capacity NGOs have been roped in to mobilize community participation. A cadre of para professional have been mobilized at the village level for community mobilisation.Thus, over the period of last 4 years, the GoM, Water supply and Sanitation Department  has been able to initiate and stabilize the implementation of this new reform policy.