Germany - Foreign economic-aid-related services - Capacity development and organisational support for convergent implementation of measures to improve water security in rural India

Context India is facing an increasing water crisis due to over-extraction, climate variability, and degradation of water bodies and watersheds. Public programmes for rural development such as MGNREGS, PMKSY, and the Jal Shakti Abhiyan have taken steps to address the challenges, but implementation often remains fragmented and impact in terms of water security unclear. There is an urgent need to build data-driven, risk-informed, and integrated planning frameworks and capacities at all levels of governance. The Water Vision 2047 of the Government of India outlines a transformative agenda for water security that requires convergence of schemes, innovative solutions, and community participation. The Project The Indo-German project cooperates with the Ministry of Water (MoJS) and Ministry or Rural Development (MoRD) and aims to co-develop and demonstrate a comprehensive decision-support and planning framework to enable local planners to conduct an Integrated Water Security Assessment and Planning by using verified geospatial and non-spatial data as well as tailored evaluation tools. It leverages learnings from past initiatives to develop frameworks, tools, and institutional capacities that enable coordinated action across sectors for more effective outcomes. Ultimately, the project seeks to operationalise India"s Water Vision for the benefit of rural communities. Main Objective The convergent implementation of India's Water Vision 2047 to increase water security and climate resilience of the vulnerable rural population are improved in selected states of India. Outputs and Action Areas The project is implemented addressing the following outputs and respective action areas: Output 1: Development of framework, approaches, and instruments - Develop a Rural Water Security (RWS) Framework as basis to support new integrated approaches and guidelines for assessment, planning, convergent implementation, and impact monitoring of water security measures - Development of an index for benchmarking and impact monitoring of rural water security (RWS index) - Further develop related digital solutions and dashboards for assessment and decision support - Capacity Development on Integrated Water Security Assessment and Planning at district, block and Gram Panchayat level Output 2: Convergent implementation of measures to improve water security in demonstration districts - On-the-job training to develop local water security plans - Strengthening district-level governance mechanisms for convergent implementation - Provide handholding support for convergent implementation of measures to improve water security at Block and Gram Panchayat level - Use of existing and new incentive mechanisms for convergent implementation of measures to improve water security Output 3: Institutional mechanisms for mainstreaming - Evaluation and documentation of successful applications of the RWS framework - Preparation of materials for mainstreaming - Integration of approaches and digital solutions in programme delivery systems - Mechanisms for aligning water security plans with sector plans Intervention Area The project will be implemented in 12 demonstration districts located in the following six states: Bihar, Gujarat, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. The overall scope of the envisioned service contract is to conduct capacity development and on-the-job training to develop local water security plans and provide organizational support for the convergent implementation and monitoring of water security measures in the 12 partner districts. In particular, the contractor shall be responsible for providing the following work packages: Work package 1: Conduct capacity development and on-the-job training to develop local water security plans in the 12 partner districts. This work package connects the results of Output 1, in particular, the development of a Rural Water Security (RWS) framework for Integrated Water Security Assessment and Planning, to Output 2, in particular, the elaboration of local water security plans and their convergent implementation and impact monitoring in the 12 selected partner districts. This includes the implementation of on-the-job training for employees of local authorities in order to enable them to develop data-driven and GIS-based water security action plans at local level. Regular training workshops are to be conducted at state, district and block level which have to be coordinated with the local authorities by the consultant"s respective state and district coordinator. Main activities under this work package may include: - Onboarding and familiarization with existing frameworks, digital tools, and training material for conducting capacity development drives - Conducting capacity development drives in demonstration districts - Provide technical (handholding) support for preparation of local water security plans Work package 2: Organizational support for the convergent implementation and monitoring of water security measures in the 12 partner districts. In order to ensure convergent planning and implementation of water security measures using government programmes and missions in line with the Indian government's "Whole of Government Approach" as well as the involvement of the private sector and civil society, steering mechanisms at district level are to be strengthened through organisational advice to the local authorities in the partner districts. This can be achieved, for example, by setting up cross-sectoral convergence committees or working groups comprising relevant representatives of interest groups or decision-makers in the partner districts. The convergent implementation of measures to improve water security by the competent authorities at district, block and municipal level is ensured by mobilising financial resources for implementation (materials, equipment, wages), taking into account the implementation modalities of the respective state programmes and missions as well as the private sector. The effectiveness of convergent planning and implementation is increased through the use of existing and new incentive mechanisms by local authorities at the district level, such as recognition of successfully implemented innovative measures to improve water security, public awards, the provision of additional funds, the mobilisation of private sector investment, etc. Main activities under this work package may include: - Analyse, support, and strengthen district-level steering mechanisms for convergent implementation - Explore and strengthen incentive mechanisms for convergent implementation of measures to improve water security - Explore and strengthen potential cooperation with other stakeholders (JJM, MCAD, private sector, e.g. foundations, philanthropies, CSR) in demonstration districts of improve RWS - Provide thematic expert advice, technical backstopping and support in demonstration districts for convergent implementation and impact monitoring Work package 3: Evaluation and documentation of scalable and replicable successful applications of the RWS planning framework and convergent implementation of water security measures. The Consultant will contribute to the evaluation and documentation of successfully demonstrated practices that can be disseminated by the Departments of Rural Development (DoRD) and Water Resources (DoWR) at the state and partner ministries (MoRD and MoJS) and NITI Aayog at the national level. This also includes target group-oriented materials for institutions of village self-government, civil society organisations, community-based organisations as well as private sector and philanthropic actors. By demonstrating the concept and applicability of practice-oriented approaches and digital solutions, the successfully demonstrated practices can be integrated into the programme delivery systems at the national, state and district levels via the partner ministries and their subordinate authorities. Activities under this work package may include: - Identify, evaluate, and document scalable and replicable successful applications of the RWS planning framework and convergent implementation of water security measures - Contribute to the elaboration of target group-oriented materials and knowledge products - Conduct state-level workshops and seminars on successfully demonstrated practices and innovative measures - Contribute to the integration of successfully demonstrated practices into the programme delivery systems