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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Has the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Brought a Paradigm Shift in Rural Sanitation? -Santosh Mehrotra and Vinod Mishra

Has the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Brought a Paradigm Shift in Rural Sanitation? -Santosh Mehrotra and Vinod Mishra

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published Published on Oct 4, 2017   modified Modified on Oct 4, 2017
-TheWire.in

Innovate methods are being used to encourage people to end open defecation, but issues like the underutilisation of funds and use of coercive methods to achieve targets remain.

The government has run rural sanitation programmes since the 1980s. Yet, according to Census 2011, only about 30% of all rural households have toilets, and even fewer use those toilets. By contrast, under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, several changes have taken place.

Efforts towards a ‘Swachh Bharat’

First, a commitment has come from the highest level of government, with the prime minister himself doing “shramdan” for the construction of a twin pit toilet in a village in Varanasi.

Second, under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, for the first time, the government is focusing on triggering a collective behaviour change on a large scale instead of merely on the construction of toilets. Even the management information system of the government is counting communities and districts that have become open defecation free (ODF); earlier it was only counting the number of toilets.

Third, the speed with which toilets are being constructed has also gained momentum. Since 2014, 40 million household latrines have been constructed. Some 250,000 of India’s 649,481 villages have been declared ODF, along with 201 districts and five states as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

Fourth, there is a renewed focus on verification and sustainability of ODF status by monitoring toilet use.

Fifth, money has been allocated on a scale hitherto unheard of to hire the staff needed to mobilise communities around sanitation. Half a million ‘Swachhagrahis’ have been deployed in villages and districts. There has occurred an empanelment of key resource centres at the national level for capacity building on collective behaviour change.

Sixth, there is focus on senior male members of households to sensitise them through collective behaviour change (through Darwaza Band campaign). Use of social media for creating awareness is also happening. ‘Swachhata Preraks’ have been deployed in each district to support the district magistrates directly. Training of district officials is creating a new momentum.

Seventh, there is a new focus on ODF plus, i.e. solid and liquid waste management. This is done with a view to incentivise sustainability of ODF status. Special sustainability funds and fund allocation to states on performance is also ongoing.

Please click here to read more.

TheWire.in, 3 October, 2017, https://thewire.in/184035/swachh-bharat-abhiyan-brought-paradigm-shift-rural-sanitation/


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