Ms. Manulaxmi Yadav will present her APS as per the details below:

Date: 17th  February 2025

Time: 1230-1330 hrs. 

Venue: Conference Room No.1

Title: The Role of Women in Groundwater Management for Enhancing Livelihood Status in India

Guide: Prof Pennan Chinnasamy

RPC members: Prof Priya Jadhav, Prof Sarmistha Pattanaik

Abstract: 

Groundwater is a critical water resource in India. The groundwater security issues are raising serious questions, including hydrological, societal, agricultural, and gender perspectives. This study investigates the role of women in groundwater management and its impact on livelihoods, as a case study in Parbhani, Maharashtra, India. The study presents a critical review and field-based analysis of the Har Ghar Nal Yojana (Jal Jeevan Mission) and its implications for gender-sensitive water infrastructure and women’s livelihood enhancement in rural Maharashtra. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork conducted in selected villages of Parbhani district, the study examines how household-level drinking water provision has altered women’s daily labour, time use, and well-being. Findings indicate that while household tap connections have significantly reduced the physical burden and time spent on drinking water collection, their impact on women’s economic participation and livelihood security remains limited when implemented in isolation. Drinking water infrastructure, though essential for dignity and health, must be complemented by gender-sensitive water conservation and groundwater recharge structures to translate time savings into sustainable livelihood gains. Through a review of existing policies and programmes, including MGNREGA-linked water works, the study highlights the importance of integrating domestic water supply with productive water infrastructure that supports agriculture, livestock, and allied livelihoods. The analysis foregrounds women’s roles as water users, managers, and informal leaders, and emphasises the need to move beyond welfare-oriented approaches toward gender-responsive water governance. The study recommends convergence-based planning that aligns drinking water schemes with livelihood-focused, community-managed water infrastructure to enhance women’s socio-economic resilience.