Under NDA, more toilets, less open defecation – Mint

Report on India’s Sanitation Initiatives and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary: The Challenge of Open Defecation and SDG 6

India has confronted a significant public health and development challenge in the form of widespread open defecation, a practice that directly impedes the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), specifically Target 6.2, which calls for an end to open defecation and universal access to sanitation and hygiene by 2030. Despite being a global economic entity, India has historically lagged behind many developing nations in sanitation coverage. In 2015, World Bank data indicated that 44% of the Indian population practiced open defecation. This sanitation crisis is intrinsically linked to other development challenges, notably those outlined in SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), as faecal contamination contributes significantly to child malnutrition, stunting, and the spread of water-borne diseases.

The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM): A National Drive for SDG 6

In response, the Government of India has implemented a series of sanitation campaigns, culminating in the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). This initiative represents an unprecedented effort to align national policy with SDG 6 through a massive toilet construction program.

Scale and Speed: The SBM significantly accelerated the pace of toilet construction, operating at nearly twice the rate of its predecessor, the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA).
Financial Commitment: The government demonstrated a heightened commitment to sanitation, allocating approximately 0.5% of its annual budget to the mission, a substantial increase from the 0.1% allocated under the previous administration.
Increased Subsidies: To incentivize household toilet construction, the individual subsidy was raised to ₹12,000 per unit under SBM, compared to earlier schemes.

Assessing Progress: Data Discrepancies and the Importance of SDG 17

The evaluation of SBM’s success reveals significant data discrepancies, highlighting a critical challenge related to SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), which emphasizes the need for high-quality, timely, and reliable data (Target 17.18) to track progress.

Official Government Data: The SBM dashboard reported that 99% of the country had achieved toilet access by 2019, with most states declared Open Defecation Free (ODF). The National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) 2018-19 supported this, suggesting 93% of households had toilets and 97% of them were in use.
Independent Survey Findings: A 2018 survey by the Research Institute for Compassionate Economics (RICE) presented a contrasting view. It found that open defecation remained prevalent (44%) in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, even after some of these states were officially declared ODF.
Concerns over Data Integrity: Questions have been raised regarding the veracity of official survey results, with reports suggesting that NARSS surveyors may have been influenced to align their findings with government targets. Similar concerns about data quality have been noted in the Swachh Survekshan survey for urban areas, which impacts the effective monitoring of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Despite these data conflicts, it is evident that SBM has contributed to a tangible reduction in open defecation. The RICE survey itself confirmed a decrease from 70% to 44% between 2014 and 2018 in the four states it studied, largely driven by new toilet construction.

Socio-Cultural Impediments to Achieving SDG 6 and SDG 10

The persistence of open defecation, even among households with latrines, points to deep-seated socio-cultural barriers that infrastructure alone cannot resolve. This challenge directly intersects with SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Behavioural Persistence: The RICE survey found that approximately 23% of rural households owning a latrine still had at least one member defecating in the open, a proportion unchanged from 2014.
Caste and Purity Norms: Research suggests that traditional notions of purity and caste hierarchies, particularly the practice of untouchability, create a reluctance to use and maintain affordable pit latrines. This social barrier hinders the universal adoption of sanitation facilities, thereby undermining progress on both SDG 6 and SDG 10.
Demand for Inadequate Solutions: These cultural perceptions lead some rural households to demand larger, more expensive latrines that exceed the SBM subsidy, rendering the provided solutions unused.

Policy Recommendations for Comprehensive SDG Attainment

To ensure India becomes truly open-defecation free and fully achieves its sanitation-related SDG targets, a more holistic policy approach is required.

Prioritize Behavioural Change: The focus must shift from solely construction to robust Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) initiatives. In 2018-19, IEC spending constituted less than 1% of the total SBM budget, indicating a critical gap. A sustained campaign is needed to change perceptions around sanitation.
Address Social Inequalities: Policy must actively address the caste-based prejudices that impede latrine use. Fulfilling SDG 6 is contingent on making progress on SDG 10 by dismantling social barriers to inclusion and access.
Strengthen Data Collection and Monitoring: In line with SDG 17, establishing a system for regular, independent, and representative data collection is essential to accurately track progress, identify persistent challenges, and hold institutions accountable.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The article directly links the issue of open defecation to negative health outcomes, particularly for children. It states, “Open defecation also partly explains why India lags behind developing countries on child health indicators such as nutrition and stunting. Faecal germs from open defecation are transmitted to children, hurting their development.” This establishes a clear connection to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being.

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

This is the central SDG addressed in the article. The entire piece revolves around India’s efforts to end open defecation and improve sanitation coverage through programs like the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). The text discusses toilet construction, sanitation coverage statistics, and the goal of becoming “open defecation free,” which are the core components of SDG 6.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The article highlights how social structures, specifically the caste system, impact sanitation practices. It notes, “caste and notions of purity make Indians hesitant to use toilets” and that “villages practising untouchability have higher rates of open defecation.” This connects the sanitation challenge to deeper issues of social inequality and exclusion, which is the focus of SDG 10.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The article briefly touches upon the urban dimension of the sanitation drive. It mentions, “As part of the urban component of SBM, the government runs the Swachh Survekshan survey which ranks cities based on their sanitation and solid waste management.” This directly relates to the goal of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, particularly concerning waste management.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Target 6.2: Achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation.

The article is fundamentally about this target. The government’s mission to make India “open defecation free” by constructing toilets and running sanitation campaigns like the SBM is a direct attempt to achieve this goal. The article extensively discusses the progress and challenges in ending open defecation and providing access to toilets for millions.

Target 3.2: End preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age.

While not mentioning child mortality rates directly, the article implies this target by linking poor sanitation to poor child health. It states that “Faecal germs from open defecation are transmitted to children, hurting their development” and negatively impacting “nutrition and stunting.” Stunting and poor nutrition are major contributors to child morbidity and mortality, making this target highly relevant.

Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of…caste…or other status.

The article’s analysis that “caste and notions of purity make Indians hesitant to use toilets” and that “villages practising untouchability have higher rates of open defecation” points directly to this target. It shows how social exclusion based on caste is a significant barrier to achieving universal sanitation, indicating a need to address these inequalities for the policy to be successful.

Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to…municipal and other waste management.

The mention of the “Swachh Survekshan survey which ranks cities based on their sanitation and solid waste management” connects the article’s themes to this target. The survey is a mechanism to measure and encourage better waste management and sanitation within urban areas, which is a core component of reducing the environmental impact of cities.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Indicators for Target 6.2

Proportion of population practicing open defecation: The article provides multiple data points for this indicator, such as “in 2015, 44% of Indians defecated in the open,” a decrease from “75% in 1990,” and a further fall in rural India to “33% in 2017-18.”
Proportion of population with access to basic sanitation services (toilets): The article cites official data that “99% of the country has access to toilets (up from 40% in 2014)” and that “households with toilets rose from 45% to 64%” between 2014-15 and 2017-18.
Proportion of villages declared open defecation free (ODF): The National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) is cited, stating that “90% of India’s villages are now open defecation free.”
Proportion of population using sanitation facilities: The article distinguishes between access and use, noting that “around 23% of rural households owning a latrine were still found to defecate in the open,” which serves as a crucial indicator of behavioral change.

Indicators for Target 3.2

Child stunting rates and nutrition levels: The article implies these are key indicators by stating that open defecation explains “why India lags behind developing countries on child health indicators such as nutrition and stunting.” Progress in sanitation could be measured by improvements in these health metrics.

Indicators for Target 10.2

Correlation between caste practices and open defecation rates: The article suggests this as an indicator by pointing to research showing that “villages practising untouchability have higher rates of open defecation.” Tracking this correlation would measure progress in overcoming social barriers to sanitation.

Indicators for Target 11.6

City rankings based on sanitation and solid waste management: The article explicitly mentions the “Swachh Survekshan survey which ranks cities based on their sanitation and solid waste management.” These rankings serve as a direct indicator of municipal performance in this area.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs	Targets	Indicators
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation	6.2: By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation.	Percentage of population practicing open defecation. Percentage of households with access to toilets. Percentage of villages declared open defecation free (ODF). Percentage of toilet owners who still practice open defecation (measures usage).
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being	3.2: By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age.	Child health indicators (implied). Child nutrition rates (implied). Child stunting rates (implied).
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities	10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all.	Rates of open defecation in villages that practice untouchability (as a measure of social exclusion).
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities	11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including…waste management.	City rankings from the Swachh Survekshan survey on sanitation and solid waste management.

Source: livemint.com