Thinking Outside the Box : A Case for Comprehensive Choice Examination in Infrastructure Provision

Abstract

Provision of adequate quantities of safe drinking water for a settlements population is an ever increasing problem in all urbanizing contexts in developing countries. Quite often conventional wisdom dictates setting up of more infrastructure, both physical and administrative, as a solution to the problem. More often than not, these solutions, if they fructify at all, soon degenerate into inefficient and cost-effective schemes supplying inadequate quantities of water with negligible cost recoveries. A significant body of planning literature also talks about improving project development and management practices, both at the planning and implementation stages of infrastructure projects as a way to improve their capital and operational benefits versus costs. However, much of such discussion takes place in the context of a project, designed to alleviate or radicate a problem in a community, that has been approved and is soon to be funded. Traditional wisdom in tackling the problems present in these communities, is completely ignored, even when such solutions are community based, more egalitarian and frequently very low cost. Such a situation exists in Imphal the capital city of the state of Manipur in India.