Scaling Up Rural Sanitation : Findings from the Impact Evaluation Baseline Survey in Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

In India, Water and Sanitation Program's (WSP's) global scaling up rural sanitation program is supporting the Government of India's (GoI) Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) in two states: Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. TSC is an ambitious countrywide, scaled-up rural sanitation program launched by the GoI in 1999, which seeks to attain an Open Defecation Free (ODF) India by 2012. In contrast to earlier, hardware-centric supply approaches to rural sanitation, TSC aims to generate demand for and adoption of improved sanitation at the community level. The program focuses on creating ODF communities rather than bringing about incremental individual changes. The TSC aims not only to achieve ODF communities but also focuses on hygiene, waste management, and sanitation in schools and institutions. The main components of the intervention include: 1) community-led total sanitation, 2) social marketing of sanitation, 3) strengthening the enabling environment, and 4) nirmal gram puraskar awards. Although the data are limited in establishing causality, emerging trends indicate that gains in improved sanitation, likely to be brought about by TSC, could have positive impacts on the health and welfare of rural families, especially young children.