The rural drinking water and sanitation fund development board is to launch a drinking water and sanitation drive in some 60 districts in all the five development regions across the country. This initiative is being supported by the government, the World Bank, and the British development agency the DFID. It is the second major countrywide push of its kind devised to enhance people’s accessibility to drinking water and sanitation. Despite significant efforts in the past to make drinking water accessible to as many people as possible, people in far-flung areas are still struggling to get it. The project is already underway in some 11 districts in far western and mid-western Nepal. These areas happen to be the ones where development efforts failed to benefit the general people significantly despite huge resources being spent. It is good that the first phase of the project has been launched in such districts as Humla, Mugu, Jumla, Bajura, Kalikot, Accham, Jajarkot, and Salyan.

The project is expected to benefit nearly one million people, largely those confined to rural areas. Sanitation and potable water are essential for a healthy life. Lack of awareness is a major cause of communicable diseases, such as diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid and a range of preventable ailments. The project is expected to generate employment opportunities even after the project period is over. The locals would be required for maintenance and operation of the infrastructure once it is put in place. The second plan has 1,355 projects under its wing and the task is expected to be completed in five years time. This project is slightly bigger than the first drinking water and sanitation drive that was launched in 49 districts and had 1,048 subsidiary projects in its fold. It is up to the government, the funding agencies, and the participating locals to actually work in cooperation to make the project a success.

Rural areas have waited too long for measures like this one to actually reach them in order to improve their living standard. Not only drinking water and sanitation facilities are unavailable in remote parts of the country, but so are proper schools, trained teachers, textbooks, hospitals, health staff, transport and communication facilities. Besides, several other essential services have simply failed to reach the rural areas. It is time the people in the remote parts of the country were given as much attention as the city dwellers. Clean drinking water is only one facet of the overall development mosaic. Now that the initial phase of the said project is already underway, similar other projects that will help change people’s lives must also be considered. Without this, the socio-economic welfare of the people is not possible.