GS2 · 15 marks · 250 words

Well-executed government initiatives often fail if operations and maintenance are not integral to the programme design. In the context of the Swachh Bharat Mission in India, discuss how collective action and community ownership can ensure its long-term sustainability.

Answered by 5 toppers · CSE 2023–2025

Policy Design and ImplementationWelfare SchemesLocal Government

Syllabus: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

How toppers approached it

From all 5 answers · about 190 words · 40% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • A date or context60%
  • No separate opening40%

Body

  • Points60%
  • Points and prose40%

Close

  • A summary60%
  • No separate close20%
  • A way forward20%

The toppers’ answers

Pakshal SecretryAIR 8 · CSE 2025 · 119 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a date or context

Recently, India celebrated 10 years of Swachh Bharat Mission, and many countries like Nigeria have approached India to replicate the success of Swachh Bharat.

Body · points and prose

Diagram
* Initiatives fail if operation & maintenance are not in program design * Results into poor policy design * Does not allow for dynamism with changing time * Only leads to superficial solution to issue * eg: Creation of Toilet but no use

Role of collective Action (1) Makes it a people's movement

(ii) Precipitates into demand by citizen for maintainance and effective implementation of program (iii) Drop by drop brings largescale changes → creation of 10 crore + toilets under Swachh Bharat Mission

Role of community ownership

(1) gives a sense of belongingness to project → Panchayat's involvement in SBM. (2) Easy to maintain → people has sense of ownership. (3) Increases social capital and trust in society due to community role. (4) Better implementation of programs → 6 lakh + village declared ODF free under SBA

Close · no separate close

None written.

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