Implementing water and sanitation systems in rural India : the role of NGOs

Abstract

NGOs are an important actor in rural India, and are increasingly important in implementing water and sanitation infrastructure. This thesis first systematically investigates physical conditions that lead to good bacteriological water quality in rural India, and then investigates how NGOs are inserting themselves into this space. Ultimately, this work examines under what conditions NGOs are effective in advancing water and sanitation systems, with a focus on how they build up, empower, and utilize local community organizations to do so. Thus, the strategies of two NGOs working in rural India that have facilitated the implementation of water and sanitation infrastructure are analyzed using an extension of Field Theory by Asad & Kay (2014). The way these NGOs create alliances, use resources, and change frames to advance water and sanitation infrastructure are similar in some ways, while distinct in others. This analysis demonstrates that these organizations are able to harmonize and negotiate their development agenda with that of the state in order to make progress in water and sanitation systems. Combining a systems analysis of rural communities' water quality with an analysis of strategies of NGOs illuminates practical implications for how policymakers can expect these organizations to incorporate new technologies and policies.