The project looks at holistic improvement of urban sanitation by providing recommendations at the policy level, capacity enhancement and legal framework for mainstreaming sanitation and assisting select cities in planning, implementing, operating and maintaining sustainable sanitation. As a part of its support to the NSSI (National School Sanitation Initiative) of MoHRD, GoI, GIZ has already established a technical cell at the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) which will act as a nodal platform for improving school sanitation and raising awareness on issues concerning sanitation and hygiene.

The project aims to implement and operationalize sanitation infrastructure, and management of the sanitation sector as a whole at all levels: national, state and city with a special focus on poorer parts of the cities. The project is simultaneously working at three levels:

Central level:

• The project is currently supporting the MoUD in evaluating the City Sanitation Plans (CSP) prepared so far and documenting the best practices and lessons learnt. This document will provide suggestions to MoUD in streamlining the CSP preparation process in future. A criteria list has been prepared for the evaluation of CSPs. GIZ has so far evaluated 10 CSP’s and documented their best practices.
• A national event on launching the NSSI website and the manual on school sanitation has been conducted under the presence of the MoHRD minister.
• A NSSI-cell at CBSE which currently acts as a national hub for improving school sanitation and raising awareness on sanitation and hygiene has been installed. GIZ is supporting the MoHRD and CBSE in improving school sanitation in selected schools throughout India by providing technical services for cost effective solutions. The documentation of this process will assist other schools in improving their sanitation services.

State Level:

• Supporting selected states in improving/preparing their State Sanitation Strategies (SSS). It is envisaged that key issues concerning capacity enhancement, outsourcing urban services in issues such as public/community toilet complex and sewerage and legal framework will be addressed in the SSS through GIZ support which will enhance service delivery at city level.

City Level:

• Six city sanitation planning documents prepared with GIZ’s assistance have been approved by the elected body of the respected cities and forwarded to the state government.
• The project enables a decision process based on cost-efficient and long-term planning at city level. It supports the cities in developing bankable projects by creating sector-wise financial sustainability while strengthening service delivery. The project supports the decision-making process for outsourcing urban services.

Read more:
http://www.schoolsanitation.com/
http://www.urbansanitation.org/