The momentum and scale of the Swachh Bharat Mission – Gramin (SBM-G) is unprecedented. The speed of implementation means that the identification of gaps and finding answers to these in ways that provide practical ideas for policy and practice can have exceptionally widespread impact provided they can be timely, relevant and actionable. The trade-offs between timeliness and the time required for conventional academic rigour are vast. Fortunately, a range of innovations and approaches have recently been developed and applied in India for timely and practical learning on sanitation.
WaterAid India and Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Sussex, in co-ordination with The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS), Government of India, held a one-day workshop in Delhi on the 10th October 2017. It brought together SMB-G senior officials as well as representatives from development and knowledge partners including the World Bank, UNICEF, World Health Organisation, WSSCC, 3ie, rice institute, Praxis, Aga Khan Foundation, DevInsights, TARU, NAG-DNT, Public Affairs Centre and the India Sanitation Coalition. The main objectives were to present findings from new timely, relevant and action-orientated research, and to identify gaps and priorities for future rapid investigations with high potential applicability and impact.
