Assessment of Sustainability of Outcomes in NGP Awarded Gram Panchayats (Sample from All India 2009, 2010 and 2011 winners)

To motivate and ensure greater involvement of the PRIs in sanitation, Government of India launched the Nirmal Gram Puraskar (NGP) in 2003. The NGP was a fiscal incentive program that awards local governments at village, block, district and state level if they achieve total sanitation by ensuring functional and safe sanitation facilities in households, schools and
Angawadis with proper use and no trace of open defecation. Rapid assessments have found that sustaining Nirmal status was a challenge and, in many cases, Nirmal Gram Panchayats have slipped back to open defecation. As a part of the study a rapid assessment of NGP winners from the years 2009, 2010 and 2011 was done.

As a part of the research assignment over 3200-gram panchayats were covered from 27 sates of India which included feedback surveys of individuals from 24 households, 1 school and 1 anganwadi Centre in each Gram Panchayats. Total Sample covered: 77,000 HHs, 3200 schools and 3200 Anganwadi centres. During the course of the research work the following services provided, Pilot testing of Survey Instruments (CAPIs), Data Collection through CAPIs, Preparation of training manuals, Training of data enumerators, Quality Assurance of data which included spot checks back checks, GPS tracking and Maintenance of MIS.