Measuring political will, drop by drop

When I landed in the United States as a student in the mid-90s, one of the first things I noticed was how big the coffee cups were and how everyone just drank water from the tap, at the airport, home, campus, and public parks. People trusted the quality of public water supply and did not boil or filter tap water — a common practice in India in those days, and unfortunately, even today. 

Why is it that we don’t trust our government-supplied water even in 2024? There is practically no home without an expensive filter. Why is it that every home does not yet have a piped water connection? Where does water come from? Who ensures quality? These are fundamental questions that we need to ask ourselves.

In India, politics is more about elections and less about governance.

High-decibel electoral politics dominate media and public conversations, and scant attention is given to policymaking and execution. Good governance transforms the lives of people at a scale unlike any other mechanism available. India has been making steady progress on various developmental aspects even as it continues to battle challenges such as poverty, malnutrition, social justice, and economic inequality. In the past few years, there has been a steady stream of books documenting and analysing success stories in public education, healthcare, and economy by practitioners and retired civil servants but it is rare to find a book on urban governance, written by an IAS officer in service.

People First: How Odisha’s Drink From Tap Mission Quenched Every Thirst by G Mathivathanan, IAS, who is currently Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Odisha (Housing and Urban Development Department) is a rare account of how an ambitious vision, ‘Drink from Tap’ could be realised in the towns and cities of India with a combination of political will, policymaking, teamwork and public participation. Mathivathanan has been a serving IAS officer in charge of Urban Governance in Odisha for several years now. 

This book is a delight for anyone interested in understanding how governments work behind the scenes. You will learn how to convert crisis into opportunity and how to take everyone along — from the Chief Minister to government officials; engineers, contractors, Jal Sathis, and most importantly, the people of urban Odisha. The key message that comes through repeatedly is that governance is more about social transformation than engineering interventions.

Civil servants, public policy practitioners, and students cannot afford to miss this book as it busts several myths with real-life scenarios, practical solutions, and results. 

Should the government procure pipes directly or should there be a contractor and tender? What incentives drive contractors to deliver high-quality work on time? Can an existing policy like the ‘Right to Use Private Land for Electrical Infrastructure’ be applied to create a new policy ‘Right to Use Private Land for Laying of Water Supply Pipelines’ to make house connections happen without delays? Does it make sense to bring in external consultants or is it better to build internal capacities? How can government departments that typically operate in silos trust each other and forge partnerships? If we supply water 24*7, will people abuse it? Why is it important to execute such projects in slums? Why is investment in water, an investment in public health? What exactly is ‘political will’?

It is wonderful to see inclusion as a guiding principle. It is also rare to find admissions of bad decisions and course corrections. It takes humility for a seasoned officer to admit that broader consultations and consensus-building are critical to fostering trust.

Puri is a popular destination for millions of visitors. Here, tourists can drink water directly from the municipal tap without any hesitation, just like the residents do. This book narrates the story of how this remarkable feat was achieved despite several challenges and limitations. It will inspire you to visit Odisha and drink water straight from the tap!

Disclosure: The author works on urban governance and is currently a Fellow at WRI India. He was a member of the Jaga Mission Team with the Department of Housing and Urban Development Department, Govt of Odisha, between 2020 and 2023.