Skilling rural workforce for water management could provide jobs, security

Central government programmes on water emphasise ground water management but, by and large, these schemes are silent on the availability, training and deployment of a skilled workforce

Central government programmes on water emphasise ground water management by the community in a decentralised manner but, by and large, these schemes are silent on the availability, training and deployment of a skilled workforce for this task, especially in rural areas.

Water management at the most decentralised, local levels is often a part-time, volunteer or unpaid activity. This neither helps cultivate water security, nor does it help cultivate meaningful livelihoods to manage precious water resources, found an analysis by the global research organisation, the JustJobs Network, with Bengaluru-based Arghyam, working for safe and sustainable water.

Over 80% of India's urban and rural