Rural Sanitation in India: Policies, Programmes and Achievements

Recognising the importance of sanitation in human development, several policies and programmes have been formulated and implemented to provide sanitation in India since independence. Despite many efforts, the provision of sanitation, especially in rural areas, has been a challenging task. In this context, the article tries to analyse the evolution of policies and performance of programmes based on the available literature implemented after Independence. It also examines whether the policymakers have taken into account the past lessons while formulating the policy or programme. The analysis reveals that there has been a progressive move in the policies and programmes towards the participatory, decentralised and sustainable management of sanitation. Implementation has been the main problem, but in recent years, more attention has been given in this direction. Even after having much success in achieving sanitation, that is, 100% access to toilets, still, many more challenges persist, especially in terms of sustainability and waste management.