In order to ensure sanitation facilities in rural areas with the broader goal to eradicate the practice of open defecation, a comprehensive programme called ‘Total Sanitation Campaign’ was launched by Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission, Government of India to cover all households with water and sanitation facilities and promote hygiene behaviour for overall improvement of health and sanitation in rural areas. The programme is demand-driven and people-centered based on the principle “From low to No subsidy”. A nominal subsidy in the form of incentive is given to the rural poor households for construction of toilets.  The key intervention areas have been identified as Individual Household Latrines (IHHL), School Sanitation & Hygiene Education, Community Sanitary Complex and Anganwadi Toilets. The Scheme laid strong emphasis on Information, Education and Communication (IEC), capacity building and hygiene education for effective behaviour change, with the involvement of PRIs, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), NGOs, etc. The Total Sanitation Campaign which was introduced in Cuddalore and Coimbatore districts initially in 1999 was extended in phases to all other districts in Tamil Nadu by 2004. 
         The Scheme has now been renamed as ‘Nirmal Bharat Abiyan’ (NBA) and revised guidelines have been issued by Government of India. The salient features of the revised guidelines are:

• Accelerating the sanitation coverage in the rural areas is advocated so as to comprehensively cover the rural community through saturation approach to create Nirmal Gram Panchayats.
• Implementation of NBA is proposed with ‘Village Panchayat’ as the base unit. Village Panchayats where all habitations have access to water are to be taken up on priority.
• Accelerate sanitation coverage in rural areas to achieve the vision of Nirmal Bharat by 2022 with all Village Panchayats in the Country attaining Nirmal status.
• Incentive as provided under the scheme for construction of Individual Household Latrines (IHHL) has been extended to all Below Poverty Line (BPL) Households and Above Poverty Line Households (APL) restricted to SCs/STs, Small and Marginal farmers, Landless Labourers with homestead, Differently Abled and Women Headed households.
• The incentive amount for construction of one unit of IHHL has been increased from Rs.3,200 to Rs.4600 (Rs.5100 for difficult and hilly areas). The Central share out of this is Rs.3200 (Rs.3700 in case of hilly and difficult areas) and State Government share is Rs.1400.  Minimum beneficiary share shall be Rs.900. 
• The schools which are not yet covered under SSA and Anganwadi Centres in the rural areas will be provided with proper sanitation facilities and proactive promotion of hygiene education and sanitary habits among students will be undertaken.
• Appropriate convergence with MGNREGS has been provided.
• All houses constructed by the beneficiaries  under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) or any other State rural housing Scheme which did not have toilets shall also be eligible for the incentive for creation of  sanitation facilities.
• Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) may be taken in the proposed and existing Nirmal Gram Panchayats. The total assistance under NBA for SLWM projects shall be worked out on the basis of total number of households in each Village Panchayat, subject to a maximum of:

1. Rs.7  lakh upto 150 households.
2. Rs.12 lakh upto 300 households.
3. Rs.15 lakh upto 500 households and
4. Rs.20 lakh for a Village Panchayat having more than 500 Households

         The sharing of cost among the Centre, State and Beneficiary contribution is as follows:

          *It includes additional State Share
         In view of the low subsidy amount provided under the Individual Household Latrines, the State Government announced provision of increased State share of Rs.2,500 which is far higher than the present Government of India prescribed State share of Rs.1,400.

 4.4.1 Individual Household Latrines (IHHL)
        
         The main objectives are as under:

• Bring about an overall improvement in the   general quality of life in the rural areas
• Accelerate sanitation coverage in rural areas
• Generate felt-demand for sanitation facilities through awareness creation and health education
• Eliminate open defecation to minimize risk of contamination of drinking water sources and food
• Convert dry latrines to pour flush latrines and eliminate manual scavenging practice, wherever in existence in rural areas.

         Under the IHHL component, against the target of 86,67,088 in Tamil Nadu,  71,12,683 toilets have been constructed so far. 

4.4.2 Implementation of Sanitation Works in Convergence with Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)

         Government of India issued detailed guidelines for taking up works relating to access to sanitation facilities under MGNREGS in June-September, 2012.  Accordingly, detailed guidelines was issued by the State Government vide G.O. (Ms.) No.121 RD & PR (CGS-1) Department, dated 28.11.2012 permitting convergence of MGNREGS with Nirmal  Bharat Abhiyan (NBA),  for construction of Individual Household Latrine (IHHL) and taking up Solid and Liquid Waste Management.

4.4.3 Activities that are permitted for providing sanitation facilities in the rural areas under MGNREGS

         a) In the construction of Individual Household latrines under NBA, a maximum of 20 persondays of unskilled labour and 6 persondays of skilled labour component are permitted under MGNREGS.

         b) Solid and Liquid Waste Management works like Compost Pits, Earthen Drains, Soak Pits, Recharge Pits and Jungle Clearance including Parthenium weed eradication can be taken up in the proposed or completed Nirmal Gram Panchayats.

4.4.3.1 Construction of Individual Household Latrine (IHHL)
4.4.3.1.1   Unit Cost and Type Design

• The Unit Cost for each Individual Household Latrine is as follows:

         * The Central Share would be Rs.3,700 in the case of Hilly and difficult areas.

         **The Type Design for the construction of IHHL, detailed estimate and Ready Reckoner of Labour component for toilet leach pit/septic tank and model Nominal Muster Roll (NMR) to be used for construction of each IHHL, have been issued. 

 4.4.3.1.2 Eligibility for availing incentive/ assistance under NBA/ MGNREGS for construction of IHHL

         a) Below Poverty Line (BPL) Household;
         b) Above Poverty Line (APL) households restricted to SCs/STs, Small and Marginal farmers, Landless labourers with homestead, Differently Abled and Women headed households. Households under these categories should be identified by a Committee comprising of Block Development Officer (Village Panchayats), Deputy Block Development Officer (Adi-Dravidar Welfare) and Village Panchayat President concerned and  the list prepared by the Committee should be approved by the Grama Sabha;
         c) All houses constructed under Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) or Chief Minister’s Solar Powered Green House Programme or any other Central/State housing scheme shall also be eligible for IHHL under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) and MGNREGS;

          However, the households which have availed the benefit of IHHL under TSC/NBA or already have a toilet shall not be eligible for assistance /incentive.

4.4.4 Sanction of works

         A combined list of all the eligible beneficiaries from a Village Panchayat desirous of constructing Individual Household latrines (IHHL) shall be prepared. The District Programme Coordinator/ District Collector will issue the administrative sanction under MGNREGS for all the IHHLs that are approved by Grama Sabha for the year, clearly indicating the labour  portion under MGNREGS  and the material portion to be converged from NBA. 

4.4.5 Execution of IHHL works

• The Village Panchayat is the implementing Agency.
• Only Job Card holders will be employed for the unskilled part of the work. For IHHL, it is necessary that the beneficiary also works on his/her IHHL. If the beneficiary does not hold a job card, he/she should apply for one. However, this condition will be relaxed in the case of Differently Abled and Women headed households if there are no other adult  members in the household (for both the categories) and in the case of Women headed households, the age of the head of the household is more than 60 years.

         One designated worker is deployed for every 15-25 IHHLs (depending upon the geographical spread of the IHHLs) proposed to be taken up in a Village Panchayat at one time. 

• The designated worker will be responsible for the following:
a) Maintain the Nominal Muster Roll for all the IHHLs in the Village Panchayat/Habitation   assigned to him / her.
b) Record attendance for skilled and unskilled labour.
c) Ensure that the construction is atleast as per the approved design and will certify to that effect.

4.4.6 Mode of Payment

• Upon completion of assigned IHHL to him / her, the designated worker will attest the NMR for attendance, certify the completion of work done and hand it over to the Overseer for further processing.
• The Overseer would then proceed to record the Measurement / Valuation Certificate / Completion Certificate in the space provided for that purpose in the NMRs for all such units and hand it over to the Block Development Officer (Village Panchayat).
• On getting the NMR, the Block Development Officer (Village Panchayat) shall issue the fund release order in duplicate to the Village Panchayat.  In respect of the wages to be paid, the Village Panchayat President should draw the amount passed by the BDO (VP) from the MGNREGS account maintained by the Village Panchayat and disburse the same to the workers on getting proper acquittance in the space provided for that purpose in NMR.
• Copies of the NMR (after obtaining acquittance for payment to the workers) should be maintained in Block Office, separately, in both NBA and MGNREGS sections.

 4.4.7 Solid and Liquid Waste Management

• Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) works are to be taken up in the Village Panchayats which have already got Nirmal Gram Puraskar Awards or those Village Panchayats that have been proposed as Nirmal Grams under saturation approach during the year. Among the Nirmal Gram Puraskar awarded Village Panchayats, those Village Panchayats which are poor in Solid and Liquid Waste Management should be taken up on a priority basis.
• The Village Panchayat concerned will be the Implementing Agency.
• The SLWM project in each habitation of the Village Panchayat will be treated as an independent work and muster roll issued accordingly.
• The Nominal Muster Rolls (NMRs) that are being used at present for the regular MGNREGS works shall also be used for SLWM works.
• For each of the works in a habitation, one worker shall be designated to supervise the work and he / she shall be paid Rs.132/- per day. He/She shall do the following activities:
a) Allocating the works in the order of priority;
b) Allocating the workers for each of the activity;
c) Pre-marking in the case of Compost Pit, Earthen Drain and Soak Pits, etc.;
d) Ensuring necessary slope/gradient during the execution of Earthen Drain works so that the flow of liquid waste is not affected and could be properly discharged at the disposal point;
e) Maintenance of NMR and recording of attendance; and
f) Handing over of NMR with all required Abstracts to the Panchayat Secretary.
• Contractor is not allowed and machine shall not be deployed in the SLWM works.

4.4.7.1 Solid Waste Management
         Compost pit for depositing bio-degradable waste and Jungle Clearance including Parthenium weed eradication are the main activities that can be taken up with assistance under MGNREGS for Solid Waste Management in the selected Village Panchayat.

4.4.7.1.1 Compost pit for Bio-degradable Waste
         Compost pit of trapezoidal shape 5m X 5m at bottom and 9.50m X 9.50m at top may be provided in every habitation for the proper disposal of bio-degradable wastes.

4.4.7.1.2 Jungle Clearance and Parthenium Weed Eradication
         Jungles including Parthenium weeds in and around the habitation are a major menace in the villages which are to be eradicated on a regular basis at proper intervals. For the purpose of estimate and measurement, the Rural Schedule of Rate for Jungle Clearance shall be used for this kind of work.

4.4.7.2  Liquid Waste Management
         Providing earthen drain in the streets and provision of soak pits are the major works that can be categorised under liquid waste management.

• Wherever required earthen drain with 0.60m width and 0.45m depth with proper connection to the main drain shall be undertaken. Likewise, earthen drain for the disposal of rainwater stagnation shall also be planned, based on the topography of the habitations.
• At the end point of the earthen drain, a soak pit of 1.50m diameter and 1.50m depth has to be provided wherever necessary and it shall be filled up with locally available boulders and sand.
• At hand pumps and mini power pump areas, a soak pit of 1.50m diameter and 1.50m depth has to be provided using MGNREGS funds wherever necessary and it will be filled with locally available boulders and sand.

4.4.8 Execution of SLWM works                    

• Works like provision of compost pits, earthen drains and soak pits required in a single habitation will be treated as single work for the purpose of preparation of estimate.
• While executing the work, the jungle clearance and parthenium weed eradication should be taken up first. On completion of jungle clearance / parthenium weed eradication, the workers shall be engaged in works like excavation of compost pit, earthen drain and soak pits in an order of priority.
• On completion of all the solid and liquid waste management works in a habitation, the work will be treated as completed.
• The measurement of the work will be made weekly by the Overseer as per the norms under MGNREGS. The entries of measurement with assessment of work will be entered in measurement book as well in the muster roll.
• On getting the Weekly NMR and the measurement details, the BDO (VP) shall process the Bill and issue the Fund Release Order to the Village Panchayat.
• The Village Panchayat shall draw the funds and disburse the wages.
• Necessary entries for providing employment to the Job Card holder shall be made in the Household Employment Register (MGNREGS Village Panchayat Form No.3) on completion of SLWM works.

          During 2013-14, a further thrust will be given for Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM).  The Honourable Finance Minister has announced during the presentation of Budget 2013-14 that a sum of Rs.150 crore will be earmarked within the devolution for putting up Solid Waste Management facilities.  Further, Rs.97.85 crore available under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan will also be used for the purpose of Solid and Liquid Waste Management during 2013-14.  
   
4.4.9 School Sanitation and Hygiene Education
         Children are more receptive to new ideas and hence the most appropriate institutions are Anganwadis / schools where sanitation education can be effectively imparted to change the behaviour, mind set and habits of the children from open defecation to the use of toilets.  The experience gained by children through use of toilets in school and sanitation education imparted by teachers would also reach home and influence their parents to adopt good sanitary habits.  School sanitation, therefore, forms an integral part of the NBA project.  Toilets in Anganwadis and in all types of Government schools, i.e. primary, secondary and higher secondary, are constructed under the Scheme.  Emphasis is given for toilets in girl schools.

          All activities with regard to the provision of sanitation and hygiene education in Anganwadis and Schools will be done in tandem with Social Welfare and School Education Departments.  This Government has ensured that all Anganwadis and Schools in the State are provided with toilets.

       Funding for School Sanitation in a NBA project is shared between the Central Government and State Government in the ratio of 70:30.  A total of 46,986 school toilets at a cost of Rs. 111.55 crore have been completed up so far in Panchayat Union Schools and  Government Schools.

          The Schools listed by School Education Department have also been verified and 2057 Schools where toilets are not available have been covered as per the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

4.4.10 Anganwadi Toilets
            It is essential to use Anganwadi as a platform for behavioural change among children attending it as well as the mothers.  Each Anganwadi is provided with a baby friendly toilet.

            In Tamil Nadu, 26,347 Anganwadi toilets have been constructed so far at a cost of Rs.16.81 crores.  All the Anganwadi centers which did not have a functional toilet as per the survey have also been taken up for provision of baby friendly toilets.

4.4.11 Community Sanitary Complex
             The Community Sanitary Complex is an important component of the NBA and the Complexes are set up in any place in the village, which is acceptable to the stakeholders and accessible to them.  The Village Panchayat and the User Groups are expected to own the ultimate responsibility or make alternative arrangements at the village level for the maintenance of the Complex.

            The sharing pattern amongst the Government of India, State Government and the Community is in the ratio of 60:30:10.  The Village Panchayat also can make the community contribution.  So far, 1,732 Complexes have been constructed at a cost of Rs. 27 crore.

4.4.12 Rural Sanitary Marts (RSM)
             Rural Sanitary Mart is a commercial venture with a social objective. Rural Sanitary Mart is an outlet for dealing with the materials required for the construction of the sanitary latrines and also the sanitary facilities required for individuals, families and the environment in the rural areas.  The main aim of having RSM is to provide materials, services and guidance needed for constructing different types of latrines and other sanitary facilities, which are technically and financially suitable to the area.  The RSM may be opened and operated by NGOs, SHGs, Women Organisations, Panchayats, etc.  An amount of Rs. 2.93 crore has been incurred as expenditure for establishing 195 RSMs in 31 districts of the State.

4.4.13 Production Centers
             Production centers are the means to improve the production of cost effective and affordable sanitary materials under the NBA.  A maximum amount of Rs. 3.50 lakh per production centre can be provided for construction of shed, training of masons and also for sanction of revolving fund.  So far, 65 productions centers have been established in the State at a cost of Rs. 65 lakhs.

4.4.14 Nirmal Gram Puraskar
         Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu announced the ‘Clean Village Campaign’ Award in July 2003 for the best performing Village Panchayats in the field of Sanitation, thereby giving prime focus on the importance of Sanitation for the first time in the entire Country. Taking cue from this, Government of India had started awarding Nirmal Gram Puraskar (NGP) awards from 2005 to give a fillip to the Total Sanitation Campaign.  The NGP recognized the efforts of PRIs and other institutions towards full sanitation coverage in their respective areas.

4.4.14.1 NGP strives

1. To bring sanitation to the forefront of social and political discourse for   development in rural India.
2. Towards open defecation free and clean villages.
3. To give incentive to PRIs to sustain the initiatives taken by them for full sanitation coverage.
4.  To increase social mobilization by recognizing the role played by organizations in universal sanitation coverage.

            The NGP award incentive amount varies from Rs. 50,000/- to Rs. 5 lakh in case of Village Panchayats and Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 20 lakh for Block Panchayats, based on the population.

          Upto 2011, 5 Block Panchayats and 2,385 Village Panchayats of Tamil Nadu have received NGP awards for achieving 100% sanitation and over-all cleanliness.  Revised NGP guidelines have been issued by Government of India in December 2012, wherein, with the transition to Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, it has been decided that the selection of Village Panchayats to award Nirmal Gram Puraskar from the year 2012 shall be taken up by the respective State Governments, while selection of the Block and District Panchayats will continue to be with the Centre.

           This Government will add vigour to the sanitation initiatives and ensure a fully sanitized and open defecation free rural Tamil Nadu by strengthening the institutional arrangements and through sustained IEC campaigns by the year 2015 as envisioned by the Hon’ble Chief Minister.

4.4.15 Envisioning Open Defecation Free   Tamil Nadu by 2015.
          One of the ten core themes of the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s Vision Tamil Nadu 2023 aims at providing the best infrastructure services in India in terms of universal access to water and sanitation. The Hon’ble Chief Minister directed all District Collectors during the Collectors’ Conference held on 17.12.2012 to adopt a multi-pronged strategy to ensure the goal of an open defecation free Tamil Nadu by 2015 and organize all stakeholders into a mass movement to root out this practice.

The first and foremost task is to identify the sanitation gaps in the rural areas through a “Baseline Survey” and address the issues in a phased manner to achieve the goal of Open Defecation Free (ODF) Tamil Nadu by 2015.  As per the guidelines issued by Government of India under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, the process of Baseline Survey has already been initiated for the preparation of Revised Project Implementation Plan (PIP).  This Plan will provide the basis and act as a guide post for implementation of Sanitation Programmes and ultimately attain the ODF Status.

            Though the Total Sanitation Campaign, now renamed as Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, stresses heavily on Information Education Communication (IEC) component by earmarking separate fund allocation for this purpose, no tangible efforts were taken on these activities during 2006 to 2011 which led to the slip back in the sanitation efforts taken during the earlier period. 

            To put back the sanitation activities on the forefront, the Government in 2011-12, ordered the restoration of sanitation facilities in rural areas by renovating the Integrated Women Sanitary Complexes for Women and Children and reviving the Clean Village Campaign which created a sanitation revolution during 2001 to 2006.  Now, the trajectory to be traversed to make delivery and use of sanitation services available to all, particularly in rural areas, depends on the Communication strategies which are critical in effecting the required behavior change among people.  Hence, requisite IEC materials have been developed to achieve the objective of open defecation free Tamil Nadu by 2015.

          Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan has made provisions for engagement of Sanitation Messengers who will motivate the village community through interpersonal communication and door to door contact to attain the programme goals. The image of Sanitation Messengers is to be projected in the Village Panchayat as a high profile key functionary and a link between the Village Panchayat and the Block Panchayat/District Administration.  Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women has identified the members of Panchayat Level Federations, Community Professionals, etc., who have shown exemplary aptitude towards sanitation during the course of training programmes and also possess the requisite qualification and skills for the position of Sanitation Messengers.  Considering the role and responsibilities visualised in the guidelines,  they would be in a better position to exert the peer group pressure that is required to inculcate good sanitary practices among the rural folk.  Hence necessary action has been initiated to induct them as Sanitation Messengers at Village Panchayat level.

          As part of the various measures to achieve the objective of open defecation free Tamil Nadu, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department has designed ANNUAL SANITATION PLANNER 2013 for the use of all key players like Coordinators, officials concerned, Sanitation messengers, etc., working in the field of sanitation.  The Planner is intended to serve as a user-friendly compendium of sanitation and a guide to all key sanitation players in better planning, implementation and monitoring the actual progress and impact of sanitation activities vis-à-vis the desired impact.
         
4.4.16  Dysfunctional Toilets

          In the present scenario, dysfunctional toilets pose a major challenge in the full scale appreciation of Total Sanitation Campaign, now renamed as Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA).  The gap between the Houselisting Census data 2011 and the figures reported by the States in Sanitation coverage was discussed in detail during National Conferences held at New Delhi, wherein representatives from many States observed that the gap is primarily due to the low subsidy given during the major portion of the implementation period of Total Sanitation Campaign.  Thus, the issue of dysfunctional toilets is to be perceived as a nation-wide phenomenon.

          It is imperative to note that the unit cost of construction of IHHL under TSC including the beneficiary contribution was   only Rs. 625/- during 1999 – 2007 and within the low subsidy availed during this period, the beneficiaries were able to afford only poor infrastructural facilities using locally available cheap materials such as  gunny bags, palm leaves, etc., for constructing  superstructures. The central issue on most people’s mind at that point of time was only privacy and not sustainability in construction and usage of toilets, and hence the assets created were predominantly adhoc in nature. 
           
          The revised NBA guidelines in terms of unit cost and convergence with MGNREGS will be meaningful only if the issue of dysfunctional toilets is resolved. As the issue of dysfunctional toilets has assumed national proportion, it cannot be dispensed with to get it resolved by itself.  In order to make the benefits of NBA more extensive, Government of India have been addressed to extend the benefits of NBA in restructuring the dysfunctional toilets as well. This inclusive policy alone will lead to an assured scaling up of sanitation activities in the country, importantly through sustainable sanitation infrastructure.