Jana Vikasa

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SDG 13

Jana Vikasa – Who they are and what they do:

Jana Vikasa is a seasoned social service organisation based in Warangal, Telangana, with over two decades of experience in implementing community-based water purification initiatives. Since 2007, it has established more than 500 community water purification projects, benefiting over 750,000 people across two Indian states. The organisation promotes a sustainable, community-owned model using reverse osmosis (RO) technology and solar energy to provide safe drinking water. Jana Vikasa empowers local communities by forming water committees, delivering capacity-building training, and encouraging local contributions to foster ownership and long-term sustainability.

The organisation’s approach is rooted in community ownership and resilience, with a strong emphasis on awareness-building, local resource mobilisation, and inclusive capacity development. Village-level water committees are trained in leadership, financial management, and technical maintenance, and supported through a federation model to ensure long-term success. Projects are designed to be inclusive, with at least 30% female representation in committees, and promote environmental responsibility by integrating solar energy to reduce reliance on polluting thermal power sources.

NextEnergy Foundation was introduced to Jana Vikasa through Bala Vikasa, a sister organisation whose two solar-powered water purification systems in the rural villages of Ragampet (Warangal District) and Pamena (Ranga Reddy District), Telangana State, were funded in 2023. Read here to learn more about this project.

What NEF Does with Jana Vikasa:

The project supported by NextEnergy Foundation in 2025 aims to install two solar-powered community water purification plants in fluoride-affected rural villages in Telangana—Seetharampur in Karimnagar District and Line Gadda in Peddapalli District—directly benefiting a total of 466 families and approximately 2,500 people. Each plant will have a capacity of 500 litres per hour and will be managed by elected local committees. The initiative addresses serious health issues caused by contaminated water—such as fluorosis, kidney problems, and gastrointestinal diseases—by ensuring 24/7 access to affordable, purified water.

The project includes community mobilisation, technical training, infrastructure development, and ongoing support. Beneficiaries contribute to the cost of equipment and operations, and the system uses prepaid cards for water access. Expected outcomes include improved health, reduced medical expenses, increased school and work attendance, and a lower environmental impact through reduced carbon emissions.

The expected project timeframe is as follows:

  • June – August 2025: Site preparation and initial training for the water purification committee and machine operation team
  • September 2025: Installation of the solar power system and water purification system
  • November 2025: Second round of training for the water purification committee and machine operation team. During this phase, committee members will take part in exposure visits to successful project models to strengthen their project management skills. These visits introduce members to best practices such as record-keeping, machine maintenance, transparent accounting systems, and regular monthly committee meetings — all essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability of the projects.

Following the initial phase of the 2025 project supported by NextEnergy Foundation, Jana Vikasa has made substantial progress in both target villages—Seetharampur and Line Gadda—between May and August 2025.

Progress in Seetharampur (Karimnagar District)

  • Community Engagement: A motivation meeting was held on 19th June 2025, attended by 130 villagers, to raise awareness about safe drinking water and the health risks of contaminated sources.
  • Committee Formation: A 9-member project committee was established, including 4 women, ensuring gender balance and local ownership.
  • Training: Three committee members (2 men, 1 woman) participated in a leadership and resource mobilisation training at Bala Vikasa Training Centre on 26th July 2025.
  • Infrastructure: The village opted to renovate an existing room for the purification system, with work currently underway.
  • Procurement: An order has been placed for the water purification machine, and preparations for installing solar panels and accessories are in progress.

Progress in Line Gadda (Peddapalli District)

  • Community Engagement: A motivation meeting was held on 7th July 2025, with a strong turnout of 300 villagers, reflecting high community interest.
  • Committee Formation: A 9-member committee was formed, including 5 women, demonstrating strong female representation.
  • Training: Three committee members (1 man, 2 women) attended the same training session at Bala Vikasa Training Centre.
  • Infrastructure: The community decided to construct a new room for the purification plant and is actively fundraising through local donors.
  • Challenges: Line Gadda faces more logistical hurdles, particularly in infrastructure readiness, which Jana Vikasa is prioritising for resolution

From May to August 2025, Jana Vikasa has laid a strong foundation for the project in both Seetharampur and Line Gadda. Awareness meetings reached 430 villagers, fostering understanding of the health risks linked to unsafe drinking water. Each village formed a gender-balanced committee of nine members, who received training in leadership and resource mobilisation. These committees have since mobilised their communities and begun contributing to infrastructure development—Seetharampur is renovating an existing room, while Line Gadda is constructing a new one with support from local donors. These early efforts reflect growing community ownership and readiness for the next phase of implementation. Jana Vikasa will continue to support installation, training, and monitoring in the coming months, with the next major milestone being the installation of solar and purification systems in September 2025, followed by exposure visits and advanced training in November 2025.

Seetharampur (Karimnagar District): Since becoming operational in 2025, the solar-powered community water purification system in Seetharampur has delivered clear, measurable impact:

  • Broad reach: 246 of 274 households are enrolled, ensuring consistent access to safe drinking water for most of the village.
  • Reliable water supply: Over 340,000 litres of purified water produced to date, with daily operations of around 5 hours.
  • Affordability and savings: Clean water is available at a low cost, enabling each participating household to save approximately INR 900 on water expenses.
  • Environmental benefits: Use of solar energy has reduced emissions by 2.5 tonnes of CO₂, 18 kg of SO₂, and 11 kg of NOx.
  • Financial and institutional sustainability: The system covers all operating costs and maintains a positive balance (INR 40,126), supported by an active village committee that meets regularly and ensures transparent management.

Progress on the Second Project Site: Jana Vikasa explored alternative implementation options to Line Gadda within the same district for the second project site and identified Suraipalli village as a suitable location. The village, with approximately 400 households, has all key project prerequisites in place, including an existing RCC-roof room and access to raw water sources. Community leaders have agreed to allocate these resources and are engaging other stakeholders to build consensus. A community motivation meeting will be organised, and the project is expected to be completed within one month thereafter.

Progress continues on the second project site in Surayyapalli, where Jana Vikasa has successfully conducted a village-level awareness meeting and established a local project committee to support community participation and ownership.

The committee has mobilised 165 memberships, demonstrating strong community engagement with the project. Construction of the room that will house the water purification system has now progressed to roof level, and all materials required for the roofing, tiling and shutter installation have been procured.

While construction has experienced some delays due to unforeseen circumstances within the village, Jana Vikasa has recently met with the village Sarpanch and project committee, who confirmed their commitment to completing the remaining construction works by the end of November 2026.

Jana Vikasa will continue to work closely with the community to support completion of the site and the next stage of project implementation.