Human Resource Management policies and other policies of National Water Supply & Drainage Board in Sri Lanka

Human Resource Management policies and other policies of National Water Supply & Drainage Board in Sri Lanka

Organizational Structure of National Water Supply & Drainage Board

Organizational structure consists of Board of Directors, Senior Management, Middle Management and Junior Management in the organization.

Human Resource Policies

Human resource policies are systems of codified decisions, established by an organization to support administrative personnel functions, performance management, employee relations and resource planning.

National Water Supply & Drainage Board has a different set of circumstances and so develops an individual set of human resource policies.

 Types of Policies in NWS&DB

·       Functional & Organizational Policies – which are grouped for different categories of personnel.  Eg. For the sections of NWS&DB dealing with Design & Planning, Operational & Maintenance etc.

·       Centralized Policies – which are planned for the Regional supporting Centers in all provinces of the country and are formulated at the Head Office at Rathmalana.

·       Major Policies- pertain to overall objectives, procedures and control which affect organization as a whole. They are formulated by the Board of Directors and framework is established within which major executives for the remaining policies necessary to carry out the major objectives of NWS&DB.

·       Minor Policies – cover relationships in a segment of and organization with considerable emphasis on details and procedures.

Human Resource Policies in NWS&DB

Ø  Originated Policies – established formally by the top management. Eg. Director Board, General Manager etc.

Ø  Appealed Policies – formulated on requests of middle management. Because, they want to know handle some situations.

Ø  Imposed Policies – NWS&DB accepts these policies due to external agencies like Government Trade Association. Because, NWS&DB is a semi government organization and has to follow government rules and regulations within the organization.

Ø  General Policies – these policies are not related to specific issues in particular, but NWS&DB is bound to follow these general policies.

Ø  Specific Policies – NWS&DB has to follow these policies for specific issues like staffing compensation, collective bargaining etc.

Ø  Written or Implicit Policies – these are inferred from behavior of managers in NWS&DB.

National Policies of NWS&DB

v National Rain Water Harvesting Policy

v National Policy for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Sector- July 2001

v National Policy On Drinking Water

v National Policy on Water Supply and Sanitation – August 2002

v National Policy on Private Sector Participation in Water Supply and Sanitation

v Urban Water Supply Policy

National Rain Water Harvesting Policy

National Rain Water Harvesting Policy and Strategies

National Policy on Rain Water Harvesting in Sri Lanka was officially implemented on September 27, 2005. LRWHF also represented the Steering Committee for formulating this policy.

The main objective of the National RWH Policy is to order to ensure that the ‘City of Tomorrow’ applies Rain Water Harvesting broadly, by the control of water near its source, in its pursuance of becoming a ‘Green City’ in the future.

The RWH policy is implemented by the RWH Secretariat of the Ministry of Urban Development and Water Supply and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board jointly with the Lanka Rain Water Harvesting Forum.

 National Policy for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Sector- July 2001

The policy for the rural water supply and sanitation sector has recognized the value of water, and the need for institutional arrangement for the efficient management of facilities with community participation and the stakeholders.

 Principles of the Policy

(i) Fresh water is a finite and vulnerable resource essential to sustain life and ecosystems

(ii) Water is a basic human need which warrants for equitable allocation.

(iii) Water has an economic value and should therefore be recognized as an economic good. 

(iv) Provision of Water Supply and Sanitation services should be people centered and demand driven. 

(v) Provision of Water Supply and Sanitation together with hygiene education should be considered as integral components in all sector projects/ programmes.

(vi) Sector activities should be based on participatory approach involving users, planners and policy makers at all levels.

(vii) The roles of the Government, Provincial Council and the Local Government Authorities should be to regulate and facilitate in the implementation of the sector activities while the Community Based Organization (CBOs), Private Sector and NGOs should be the providers of services. Local Authorities also may provide services when required.

(viii) Users should be encouraged to own and manage the facilities and assets.

(ix) Users should be encourages to share the capital investment incurred in creating the facilities.

(x) Users should bear the full responsibility of sustainable operation and maintenance of the facilities.

(xi) Women should play a central role in decision making process of the sector.

(xii) Private sector participation in the provision, operation and maintenance of facilities and services should be encouraged.

(xiii)All sector activities should be in harmony with the environment.  

 National Policy on Drinking Water

Objectives of the Policy

 National Drinking Water Policy provides a broad frame work and policy guidelines for improving national service coverage in safe water through mobilization of efforts and resources of all stakeholders of the sector.  

  Goal

 The Government of Sri Lanka, while recognizing that access to safe drinking water is a basic right of every citizen, is committed to the provision of adequate quantity of safe drinking water to the entire population at an affordable cost and in an equitable, efficient and sustainable manner.   

 Scope of the Policy

 The policy applies to potable water supplied for human consumption including qualitative and quantitative aspects. It does not apply to bottled water. 

 Policy Principles 

 a. Access to safe drinking water is a basic right with commensurate responsibilities on the recipients. 

 b. Planning and development of water supply will follow people centered, participatory and demand responsive approaches. 

 c. Abstraction of water from rivers and streams for domestic purposes  will be carried out in recognition of (without prejudice to) downstream needs. 

 d   The Government will act as the custodian of the water resources  and manage such resources on behalf of the people in an effective efficient and equitable manner, consistent with the social, economic and environmental needs of present and future generations.    

 e. Water for domestic purposes will receive priority over other uses, subject to implementation of any previous agreement for other uses.  

 f. Investment in drinking water supply development will be based on priority needs regardless of social standing or geographical location. 

 g. Pipe-borne water supply option will only be considered when all other cost effective options are not feasible.  

 h. The operational responsibilities will be decentralized to the lowest appropriate level with due consideration to management capacity. 

i. Safety of drinking Water supplied to the people need to be ensured at all times by all water service agencies through adoption of appropriate instruments.

References

Ministry of Urban Development and Water Supply, “Sethsiripaya”,Battaramulla.  (JUNE 2005): NATIONAL RAINWATER POLICY AND STRATEGIES

Ministry of Urban Development, Construction & Public Utilities, Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Division 9th Floor “Sethsiripaya” Battaramulla. (July 2001)  : NATIONAL POLICY for Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Sector.