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Towards Swachh Bharat: Creating Demand & Building Partnerships
Sep 22, 2015

National Conference on Sanitation on 24th September 2015, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Centre for Policy Research (CPR).

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), are organising a one-day national conference on sanitation titled, “Towards Swachh Bharat: Creating Demand & Building Partnerships” in New Delhi, on 24th September 2015. 

Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Poverty Alleviation, will deliver the Inaugural Address and release a report entitled “Swachh Bharat: Industry Engagement- Scope & Enterprise”. This report explores the opportunities for investment in sanitation by the private sector, and also profiles 16 initiatives currently being undertaken in the provision of sanitation services and infrastructure either through corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding, public private partnership (PPP), or independent corporate funding. 

The initiatives have been grouped and presented in four categories, which aggregate models for- rural infrastructure offers, urban infrastructure offers, service propositions and communication, education and behaviour change focused offers. The initiatives presented in the report are not restricted to a focus on any particular sub-sector. The sub-sectors include toilets, solid waste management, waste-water treatment, community engagement for behaviour change, information, education and communication as well as integrated approaches. The cases reflect the wide variety of financing instruments and structures employed – from financial intermediation for asset creation, private risk capital for developing innovations, funding under private public partnership arrangements, raising project based funding from operations including user charges, application of corporate social responsibility funds, support garnered from external donors and foundations, and dovetailing efforts alongside government funding and programs. 

Key findings highlighted in the report reveal that in the urban renewal programmes that are being configured, it is assumed that the major 300 cities would have sewerage based system. In the rest of the cities, a combination of faecal sludge management (FSM) and sewerage system would be developed in equal proportion. Ideally, the entire waste-water (including the grey water from bathrooms and black water from toilets) needs to be treated buried, recycled, reused or disposed in an environmentally friendly manner. However, close to 90 percent of the waste-water discharged in the environment is untreated. It pollutes the environment and creates health hazard for the population. Another, finding of the report reveals that 13,705 vacuum trucks are needed to de-sludge/empty 68,524,854 septic tanks once in 2-3 years.

The estimated cost for implementing SBM, both capex (till 2019) and operation and maintenance (O&M) expenses for 10 years, is approximately Rs. 8.93 lakh crores. Another 43,200 crore are expected to be spent on soft skill component such as IEC, capacity building and administration. Of all the stakeholders involved in the SBM, the government expects significant engagement from the private sector including the industrial and the corporate sector. This report will be useful for both- the government and the corporate sector to understand models of industry engagement in sanitation and to inform policy and research. 

The Conference is being held against the backdrop of the first year anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 2nd October 2014 with the aim to eliminate open defecation and strive to bring about marked improvements in the level of sanitation across the country by 2nd October 2019. 

The Conference will focus on the scope and opportunities in the sanitation sector; sharing ideas and models on ways of making sanitation initiatives sustainable and effective; and identify the possibilities of stakeholder engagement through partnerships and collaborations for effective and speedy delivery of the Swachh Bharat Mission. As we complete a year of the Swachh Bharat Mission, it is the right time to take stock of the experiences had, deliberate on the issues and draw out an effective course of action to make Swachh Bharat a reality. 

The speakers at the conference include: Ms. Sindhushree Khullar (CEO, NITI Aayog), Dr Pratap Bhanu Mehta (President, CPR), Mr Ajay S Shriram (Chairman & Senior Managing Director, DCM Shriram Ltd), Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, (DG, CII), Mr Saraswati Prasad (Jt. Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation), Mr Harpal Singh (Mentor & Chairman Emeritus Fortis Healthcare & Chairman, Save the Children), Ms Rumjum Chatterjee (Group MD-HCD Feedback Infra), Mr Deepak Sanan (Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Himachal Pradesh) , Ms Sue Coates (Chief Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, UNICEF, India), Dr Sudhir Kapur (MD & CEO, Country Strategy Business Consultants), Mr Sachin Jadhav (District Magistrate, Anugul, Government of Odisha), Mr M Hari Menon (Dy Director - India Country Programmes, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) etc. Participation is expected from industries such as cement, bricks, construction, sanitary ware, and steel, and government and the non-government-organisations.

New Delhi

22nd September 2015
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