Swachhta is Everyone’s Business: Parameswaran Iyer

Chandigarh, May 21, 2019: “The Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) (SBM-G) launched in 2014 has revolutionized sanitation in India, specially the rural sanitization coverage which increased to nearly 99% from 38.7% in 2014”, said Sh Parameswaran Iyer, Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India and leading flagship of SBM while delivering the lecture on ‘Implementation of Large Scale Social Transformation Programmes: Lessons from the Swachh Bharat Mission during the 56th Panjab University Colloquium 4th Shenmar Memorial Oration, held here today. While sharing the detailed information about various challenges in implementing Swachh Bharat Mission, Sh. Iyer said that this had direct bearing in the largest transformation ever witnessed in the behavioural changes in India and abroad. He informed that over 5.6 lakh villages, 617 districts and 30 States/UTs have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF). More than 9.22 crore toilets have been constructed in the rural areas in this period. The recently concluded National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) conducted by an Independent Verification Agency surveying over 90,000 households across India has pegged the usage of these toilets at over 96.5%. He further added that developing a large scale programme for a nation like India, with complexity of 22 languages, 700 dialects, 6000 villages was a challenging task as one size does not fit all. The challenge of implementing at scale was met with leveraging the power of 1.3 billion people to create a Jan Andolan. Extensive Information, Education and Communication (IEC) interventions were used to target beliefs held for generations (Stigma). Finally, more important than achieving was sustainability in the long term to ensure that people don’t slip back into old habits. Sh. Iyer further informed that to bring behaviour changes at large scale, over 6 lakh grassroot sanitation champions or ‘swachhagrahis’ have been trained to deliver sanitation messages in their villages. They work at the cutting edge and motivate and inspire communities to build and use toilets through community approaches to sanitation and behaviour change triggering, he informed. He vociferously highlighted the main tagline of the mission is “Swachhta is Everyone’s Business” He further informed that large scale people’s participation campaigns like the Swachh Sunder Shauchalaya (1st January, 2019 to 31st January, 2019) during which 1.34 crore toilets in rural India were painted by householders, and Swachchata Hi Seva (15th September 2018 to 2nd October 2018) where over 20 crore people participated by offering shramdaan or taking pledges for swachhata, show the scale that the program has managed to achieve. Even celebrities have taken to the movement and participated in mass media campaigns such as Darwaza Band (1 & 2) with Amitabh Bachchan and Anushka Sharma, and showcased the Mission in popular culture such as ‘Toilet – ek prem katha’ with Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar. Talking about the Policy lessons, he stressed upon the 4Ps of the mission for large scale transformation which includes Political Leadership, Public Funding, Partnerships and Peoples participation. About Administrative lessons, he said that it was important to set a target for any programme like this and time period of 5 years i.e. October 2, 2019 has been set as a deadline for the Swachh Bharat Mission. It started with the belief that it can be achieved and hence the SBM-G team was created. Younger people like students were appointed Brand Ambassador of the mission, women workers were also roped in as motivators at the grass root level. They triggered behavioural change at ground level. Then there were Collectors which was the most critical force being helped by many young professionals from IIT’s and IIM’s to work in fields. All ministries were also pitched in for sensitizing people about the mission. Arguably the biggest game-changer for the SBM (G) was that the Hon’ble Prime Minister lent his personal political capital to the Mission. Inspired by the leadership and commitment of the PM, various Chief Ministers (CM) and District Magistrates (DM) emerged as sanitation champions –the PM-CM-DM model in this Village Mukhiya’s (VM) was added to bring transformation at the grass root level. He added that continuous engagement with implementers keeps them motivated. Regular feedback was taken and the SBM-G team visited each state multiple times and engaged directly with district collectors through learning workshops and informal gatherings. Healthy competitions at all levels- State, District and Village were conducted. It was also informed that association of Bollywood stars, sportspersons and other influencers with SBM-G helped break the taboo around sanitation. Apart from this, SBM-G organized mass events and campaigns which helped it stay on top of public recall. Prof. Shankarji Jha, Acting Vice Chancellor and Dean of University Instruction, PU in his address said that it was a matter of great pride and honour to successfully complete 55 PU Colloquiums and Shenmar Memorial Oration which has proved to be a platform for various eminent personalities to share their experiences here. He said it was an honour and a very alluring opportunity for Panjab University and the exuberant audience gathered here today, to have Sh. Paramewaran Iyer, Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India, us as the Invited Speaker. Prof. T.R. Sharma. Executive Director, NABI, Mohali in his address while appreciating the success of the SBM-G, compared it with the Green Revolution which started with political will at the top. He said that the awareness for such campaign continues and need to persistently make people aware of these. He added that SBM-G of Government of India has brought a revolutionary change and for upgrading the hygiene and cleanliness stature of the Nation by stimulating the thought process of both the rural and urban areas. Earlier, Prof. Promila Pathak, Coordinator, Colloquium Committee introduced Sh. Parameswaran Iyer to the audience. She expressed her gratitude to Dr Shashi Paul & Dr. Vinod K Paul, Chairman, Board of Governers, Medical Council of India for their solicit presence and their pillar like support and generosity towards the Shenmar Memorial Orations that are held annually. The lecture was well attended by a large number of distinguished scientists and guests, senior and young faculty members, members of CRIKC, research scholars and UG/PG students from Panjab University. The event ended successfully by a vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Shruti Bedi, a member Colloquium Committee. The family members of Sh.K.C Shenmar including Mr.Vinod Paul and Mrs. Shashi Paul were also present and felicitated the speaker with a token of gratitude.