From Indira Khurana, WaterAid India, New Delhi
Posted 20 June 2007
You are aware that the Nirmal Gram Puruskar (NGP) has been instituted to “add vigour” to the Total Sanitation Campaign. In 2007, the National Committee on Nirmal Gram Puraskar selected 4,437 Gram Panchayats and Block Panchayats from 22 states for awards under NGP. The number of award winners has risen from 40 in 2005, 769 in 2006 to 4437 in 2007. These awards were given by His Excellency the President of India Shri A P J Abdul Kalam.
As per the Department of Drinking Water Supply Website (http://ddws.nic.in/tscnic/ html/nirmal_gram.htm), the following are eligible to receive the Nirmal Gram Puraskar:
1. Gram Panchayats, Blocks and Districts, which achieve 100% sanitation coverage in terms of :
(a) 100% sanitation coverage of individual house holds
(b) 100% school sanitation coverage
(c) Free from open defecation and
(d) Clean environment maintenance.
2. Individuals and organizations, who have been the driving force for effecting full sanitation coverage in the respective geographical area.
In the above context, I request members to please share your experiences relating to:
- Current status of villages which were awarded the NGP in previous years (Has the sanitation performance improved, remained the same or dropped off ?).
- Role played by women, Panchayats and civil society in a village getting the NGP
- Transparency and efficacy in the process of selection of the villages for the award.
- Other triggers and barriers which help/ do not help villages to get these awards
Members are also welcome to raise any other issues, concerns, experiences related to the NGP. Inputs from Members will help WaterAid understand what promotes communities and Panchayats to strive towards the NGP, and will help us incorporate these inputs into our existing programmes and scaling up plans.
Thanks for your support, and we will acknowledge all contributions by members in our Annual reports and research reports.
Please see attachment below for the responses.