What are the key features of the Swachh Bharat Mission and its impact on toilet usage in India

The Swachh Bharat Mission, launched by the Indian government in 2014, aims to achieve universal sanitation coverage by promoting the construction and usage of toilets in households, schools, and public areas. The key features of the mission include:

• Construction of household toilets: The mission focuses on constructing toilets in rural and urban areas, especially in households without access to sanitation facilities.
• Behaviour change campaigns: It emphasizes the importance of using toilets and adopts behavior change communication approaches to promote toilet usage.
• Public and community toilets: The mission aims to construct public and community toilets in areas where households face constraints in constructing individual toilets.
• Ongoing monitoring and accountability: Regular monitoring, inspection, and feedback mechanisms are implemented to ensure the progress of the mission.
• Capacity-building and Swachh Grahis: The program trains volunteers known as 'Swachh Grahis' to create awareness about hygiene and toilet usage.

However, recent data suggests a decline in toilet usage since 2018-19. This decline can be attributed to various factors:

• Infrastructure issues: In some areas, toilets have been constructed but suffer from poor maintenance and inadequate water supply, making them unusable.
• Deep-rooted cultural practices: Despite the availability of toilets, certain cultural practices, such as open defecation, still prevail due to deep-rooted beliefs and behavior patterns.
• Lack of behavior change: While behavior change campaigns have been launched, long-term and sustained efforts may be required to change ingrained habits and attitudes towards toilet usage.
• Poor accessibility: In certain regions, the accessibility to toilets, particularly for vulnerable populations like women and persons with disabilities, remains a challenge.

Addressing these issues is crucial to ensure the sustained usage of toilets and the overall success of the Swachh Bharat Mission in improving sanitation in India.