ABSTRACT

This chapter aims to identify the main reasons for the dropping/leaving out of marginalized communities from the projects and its effects in achieving the objectives and sector goals along with suggestions to address issues relating to marginalized communities. It shows that the demand-driven approach, necessitating community cash contributions, creates limitations in involving marginalized communities in projects for providing benefits. The initiative of community-based approach was introduced to the water supply and sanitation sector with the launch of the community water supply and sanitation project, funded by the World Bank in 1990, along with the ministry of Housing and Urban Development. In the historical background of rural water supply in Sri Lanka, many projects have been funded by various organizations. The chapter also focuses on the concept of demand-driven approach in participatory development. The subsidy ceilings have been prepared considering specific situations in the Wet Zone and Dry Zone leading to differences in some subsidy ceilings in these areas.