On various online & offline platforms, there is a huge talk going on this subject. No doubt, individual efforts are important, but major difference will happen when the Government takes suitable measures in this besides just declaring schemes.
Incentives or Subsidies should be introduced to install Water ATMs
Water ATM
Like the money ATM, it will be Water Automated Tailoring Machine for Water. This is not at all a new concept, however, very poorly implemented in India.
Govt has Installed Many Water ATMs
In various states, Govt has installed water ATMs. Typically it lays down technical specs, raises tenders & award contract to bidders who are Water ATM suppliers. The Govt , with a good intention does this- making pure water available to the poorest person at cheaper rate than the Bottled Water.
What are the rates like ?
If you see the Railway Station Water ATMs, they sell water at Rs. 5 per Litre, however, I have also seen at many places it's sold at Rs.1 per Litre too. There may be a variation for the Railways, and others as Railways has an admin cost. But water purification cost is very less. It comes to just 10 paise per litre (considering the RO system) unless the raw water is really very bad.
What is in a Water ATM actually ?
A Water ATM Machine typically consists of an RO Plant (Filtration system for removing the TDS- Totally Dissolved Solids in the raw water) and it may/may not be with a Chiller to make water Cold. It also has a dispensing system with a Coin Vending & Card Vending. Card Vending is a system, through which you need not pay cash every time & prepay like a Mobile balance.
If Govt has installed these, what's the problem ?
Problem while maintaining these systems. As we are aware, govt schemes are good, they struggle in execution. Water ATM is no exception.
What's the solution ?
Solution can be encouraging entrepreneur driven models, rather than financing the Water ATMs. In this model, Government will introduce trainings through its EDP's (Entrepreneurship Development Programmes, They will be through expert training institutes or individuals, and also rope in a financial support through some of the NGOs so that the entrepreneur gets the funding help, not the free funding. At the end, entrepreneur has to sell water through the ATM machine and should make profit from it. Check this Video :-
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