Strengthening capacity of rural local government of Maharashtra for water security and waste management
May 2025
Despite targeted national programs and significant financial allocations, rural local bodies (RLBs) in Maharashtra continue to face challenges in sustaining essential services like water and waste management services. With over 54% of the state’s population living in rural areas and increasing urban rural convergence, the role of Gram Panchayats (GPs) in ensuring sustainable infrastructure delivery has become critical. This research investigates the institutional, human resource, and financial capacities of rural local governments in peri urban Gram Panchayats of Satara district Kodoli, Degaon, and Jakatwadi to assess their service delivery mechanisms for water security and waste management. Through understanding the staffing pattern, analysis of fund flow mechanisms and service level benchmarking. the study identifies major capacity constraints, lack of training for frontline workers, limited Own Source Revenue (OSR) and high dependency on grants. The study culminates in implementable recommendations for strengthening RLB capacities in planning, infrastructure development, and operations. It aims to suggest strategic recommendations that enhance service delivery and align rural development with sustainability goals under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), and the 15th Finance Commission mandates.
