Aakash Ganga: Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting

Agency : World Bank's Development Marketplace and RANA

The objectives of the Aakash Ganga project were to develop rainwater harvesting structure in an economically viable, self- sustainable manner with community ownership and to develop a system to use the overflow of rooftop rainwater harvesting structure which would meet the drinking water need as well as generate income for O&M. The Institute has been identified as a nodal agency for implementing through various NGO partners.

The scheme has been implemented in 3 villages of Churu and Jhunjhunu districts. 118 households' tanks and 4 village tanks have been constructed in which the community and the local donors contribute around 30-50% of the construction cost.

The major outcomes of the project are: a) it offers a reliable alternative to ground water and surface water with typical water storage capacity of 10 littres/person/day or 300,000-400,000 Ft3 per village:b) it modernizes the quotidian ingenuity and centuries'oldtraditions to ensure cultural and social sustainability:c) it weans people away from the ' free water' entitlement mindset'e) it ensures the flow of capital. Management and technology through a two-tier social enterprise structure:f) it frees girls and women from the daily chore of fetching water so that they may pursue education and be productive members of society.

The extendion of the project to 70 villages is under active consideration by the Government of Rajasthan.


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