Visakha Jilla Nava Nirmana Samithi (VJNNS)

What Visakha Jilla Nava Nirmana Samithi (VJNNS) does

Visakha Jilla Nava Nirmana Samithi (VJNNS) is a non-profit society registered in 1972 under the Andhra Pradesh Societies Registration Act, headquartered in Narsipatnam, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, India. The organization implements Gravity-Fed Water Supply Systems (GFWSS) that use elevation differentials to deliver spring-sourced water to remote tribal habitations in the Eastern Ghats without electrical pumping, complemented by HDPE pipelines, source and filtration-distribution tanks, standposts, and (in select high-altitude sites) solar pumps. It also delivers nature-based spring-shed treatment and recharge solutions (trenching, bunds, plantations, soak pits) and digital monitoring via KOBO tools, GPS mapping, and dashboards.

VJNNS operates a community-led implementation model built around Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) with mandatory 50% women representation, complemented by a 5-day VWSC training curriculum, 20 instructional training videos, and Village Action Plans (VAPs) aligned with Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) protocols. Services are delivered free of cost to tribal beneficiaries across more than 360 villages spanning mandals including Chinthapalli, Munchingiputtu, G. Madugula, and Koyyur.

The organization's revenue model is grant-based rather than commercial: funding flows from institutional foundations (Infosys Foundation, Azim Premji Foundation, Arghyam, WaterAid, MISEREOR), multilateral bodies (UNICEF), NGOs (CARE India, Plan International, Save the Children), corporate CSR partners (Zomato Feeding India, Visakha Port Authority), and convergence with government schemes (JJM, MGNREGA, ITDA Paderu). The program is branded under the sub-brand 'Neeru Aaroghyam' and currently employs approximately 13 project staff under a board-governed society structure led by President Dr S Atchutha Ramam, Secretary A V Raghuram, and Treasurer USV Subbaiah.

Name

Visakha Jilla Nava Nirmana Samithi (VJNNS)

Legal name

Visakha Jilla Nava Nirmana Samithi

Website

https://vjnns.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

VJNNS is a 1972-founded non-profit society in Narsipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, implementing gravity-fed water supply systems and community-led water governance for tribal communities across 360+ villages in the Eastern Ghats through grant-funded programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Water Supply Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Source Development & Conveyance (Intakes, Canals, Pipelines) (AFACAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pump & Well Services for Irrigation (Well Testing, Pump Sizing, Rehab) (AFACAFAG), Water Source Development & Intake Systems (Wells, Boreholes, Intakes) (AFAAACAI)

Keywords

• Rural water supply
• Community water management
• Tribal water infrastructure
• Gravity-fed water systems
• Non-profit NGO services

Headquarters

HQ city

Narsipatnam

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants and Donations: VJNNS operates as a non-profit organization funded primarily through grants from foundations such as Infosys Foundation, Azim Premji Foundation, Arghyam, and other international and national donors. The organization also receives support through CSR funding.
2. Government Scheme Convergence: Implementation support through convergence with government programs including Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), MGNREGA, and Forest Department schemes, where VJNNS provides technical and implementation support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

VJNNS designs, constructs, and supports community-owned Gravity-Fed Water Supply Systems (GFWSS) for tribal habitations in the Eastern Ghats, using elevation difference to distribute spring water without electricity-based pumping. The organization complements GFWSS delivery with participatory Village Action Plans, Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC) capacity building (with 50% women representation), spring-shed recharge using nature-based solutions, field water quality testing, and 5-day training programs, all delivered as a unified program model branded "Neeru Aaroghyam."

Product overview

VJNNS operates as a single unified program model called 'Neeru Aaroghyam' centered around Gravity Fed Water Supply Systems (GFWSS) for tribal communities. The core GFWSS product is supported by complementary sub-products including Village Action Plan development, VWSC strengthening, spring-shed recharge programs, water quality testing services, 5-day training programs for VWSC members, and a library of 20 training videos and IEC materials. All components work together within a community-led water security framework focused on women empowerment and sustainable water governance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Neeru Aaroghyam: The program model of VJNNS focused on water security and institutional empowerment in tribal and rural areas, built on a logical, scalable framework for sustainable community-led water access.

Products and services

• Gravity Fed Water Supply System (GFWSS) Community-led water supply infrastructure that uses elevation differences to distribute water from natural spring sources to tribal villages, eliminating the need for electricity-powered pumping systems. Includes source tanks, HDPE pipeline, filtration-distribution tanks, and standposts; solar pumps are added in high-altitude villages where gravity is insufficient. Delivered free of cost to tribal habitations in Eastern Ghats through grant-funded programs.
• Village Action Plan (VAP) Development Facilitates a participatory planning process in which village communities develop comprehensive water security action plans aligned with Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) protocols, enabling convergence with government schemes for funding and implementation.
• Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC) Strengthening Capacity building program that forms and strengthens Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) with mandated 50% women representation, training members in water governance, fund management, and system maintenance to ensure long-term sustainability of GFWSS infrastructure.
• Spring-Shed Recharge Program Nature-based solutions program including spring-shed treatments, trenching, bunds, plantations, and soak pits to recharge and protect spring water sources that feed GFWSS systems in tribal habitations.
• Water Quality Field Testing Services Field water quality testing and training service covering 8 parameters (including pH, turbidity, and fluoride) using portable field test kits, designed for VWSC members and partner NGOs to verify drinking water safety.
• 5-Day VWSC Training Program Structured 5-day residential training program covering village development, water security, water governance, water quality testing, greywater management, and source sustainability, delivered to VWSC members and replicated for peer NGOs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 360+ villages provided with water access through GFWSS technology
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• UNICEFmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in review meetings at Collector's Office, Paderu for ASRA Aspirational District initiative focusing on Nutrition, Health, WASH, and Child Protection.
• Academy of Gandhian StudiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing Gandhian approach frameworks for rural development.
• CARE IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational NGO partner for development programs.
• Save the ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChild protection and welfare programs.
• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment scheme with which VJNNS aligns VAPs and facilitates government convergence for funding and implementation.
• ITDA PaderumajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIntegrated Tribal Development Agency supporting tribal welfare programs including water access.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PRADAN: PRADAN is a professional resource organization supporting rural livelihoods across Indian tribal and backward districts, including water and sanitation sub-projects. It shares VJNNS's community-mobilization methodology and target beneficiary base.
• Gram Vikas: Gram Vikas is an Indian NGO providing community-led water and sanitation infrastructure in rural tribal Odisha, using a comparable Village Water and Sanitation Committee model. It mirrors VJNNS's combination of gravity/spring-fed systems, women-inclusive governance, and tribal-community focus.
• Arghyam: Arghyam is an Indian water-focused foundation funding GFWSS-style rural water projects in the Eastern Ghats and beyond. Its grant-making and technical-documentation work (including co-publishing GFWSS technical reports with VJNNS) places it in the same rural water-security niche.
• Barefoot College: Barefoot College trains rural and semi-literate community members (often women) to build and maintain water, solar, and sanitation infrastructure. Its decentralized, women-empowerment-led model closely parallels VJNNS's VWSC approach.
• Naandi Foundation: Naandi Foundation operates across rural India (notably Andhra Pradesh) on water access, education, and livelihoods for tribal and rural communities. Its geographic overlap with VJNNS and parallel community-led service model make it a strong operational peer.
• Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR): WOTR works on integrated watershed management across rural and tribal India, combining water source recharge with community governance — directly comparable to VJNNS's spring-shed management and water-stewardship practice.
• WaterAid India: WaterAid India is the India arm of an international WASH NGO operating in rural and tribal areas, with similar district-level implementation, government scheme convergence, and community capacity-building. It is also an active partner of VJNNS, reflecting overlapping operating geographies.

Broad incumbents

• Water.org: Water.org is a large global NGO focused on household-level water and sanitation financing; while not a direct field-implementation peer, it operates in overlapping geographies and funding ecosystems for rural WASH, making it a relevant broader-incumbent comparator.
• UNICEF India (WASH programme): UNICEF India's WASH programme convenes government, NGO, and donor stakeholders across rural India — overlapping with VJNNS's convergence meetings with ITDA and JJM. It is also an active VJNNS partner (Aspirational Districts review meetings).

Emerging players

• SELCO Foundation: SELCO Foundation deploys decentralized clean-energy and water solutions to underserved Indian households, using a community-ownership and capacity-building model. Its emphasis on decentralized rural infrastructure parallels VJNNS's GFWSS approach, though in a different (energy) domain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/visakha-jilla-nava-nirmana-samithi-vjnns-

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Visakha Jilla Nava Nirmana Samithi (VJNNS)