Landscape of Rural Water Management

This report examines the evolving landscape of rural water management in India and the growing ecosystem of actors responsible for sustaining water security. Developed under the Jal Kaushal initiative by JustJobs Network with support from Arghyam, the study explores how water governance is expanding beyond infrastructure delivery to include a wide network of workers, institutions and community actors.

Rural water systems today rely on a complex mix of technical roles, community participation and administrative coordination. Programmes such as the Jal Jeevan Mission and Atal Bhujal Yojana have significantly expanded investments in rural water infrastructure, creating new responsibilities for local governments, frontline workers and community institutions. Yet the people who sustain these systems and the work they perform often remain poorly understood.

The report therefore maps the institutional landscape and the diverse roles that support rural water management, from government engineers and technicians to village volunteers and community water stewards. By highlighting how these actors interact across governance levels, the study offers a clearer understanding of the human systems behind water service delivery.

In doing so, it reframes rural water management not only as infrastructure provision but as a collective effort requiring skilled people, strong institutions and sustained community