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Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
“Rural Drinking Water Planning in Maharashtra, India—An Important Chapter in Panchayati Raj Reforms.”
Rural drinking water planning remains a small field of research notwithstanding the severe deficiencies faced by almost one billion people. There are many challenges, including fragmentation by levels and sectors of governance (e.g., relations among domestic, irrigation, municipal and industrial uses). This presentation examines the historical geographic roots of current debates about policies of centralization and devolution, which extend through precolonial, colonial and independence periods. Case studies in the state of Maharashtra shed light on the challenges of panchayati raj water governance at the district, block, and village levels.