The Resource Access and Equity (RAE) programme of Development Alternatives (DA), organised a one-day capacity building workshop for Panchayati Raj Institutions on 24 August 2026 at CHF, TARAgram, Orchha, Niwari, Madhya Pradesh. Held under the Water Resilient Bundelkhand initiative, the orientation brought together Sarpanches, Panchayat Secretaries, Pump Operators, and Members of Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) across 12 selected Gram Panchayats to reinforce local capacities for managing and governing rural drinking water systems.

Key sessions covered institutional readiness under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0, clarifying post-handover responsibilities for local bodies. Participants explored the practicalities of Operation and Maintenance (O&M), including routine inspections of pipelines and motors, minor mechanical repairs, tariff collection, and regular electricity bill payments. To safeguard public health, the workshop provided hands-on training and live demonstrations on village-level water quality monitoring, chlorination practices, source protection, and the use of Field Test Kits (FTKs).

Deliberations further addressed Bundelkhand’s chronic water stress by emphasising the integration of water security priorities into Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs). Discussions centred on traditional water body rejuvenation, rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, greywater management, and the imperative of advancing women’s active leadership in VWSCs to ensure shared accountability.

By embedding institutional competence and technical fluency within local governing bodies, the workshop underscored Development Alternatives’ broader commitment to building self-reliant, climate-resilient rural communities. The initiative demonstrates that lasting water security depends on transforming village institutions from passive caretakers into empowered custodians, bridging the vital gap between infrastructure delivery and long-term, community-led resource governance.