A direct relationship exists between water, sanitation and health. Consumption of unsafe drinking water, improper disposal of human excreta and lack of personal and food hygiene have been the major causes of many diseases in developed countries like India. High infant mortality rate are also attribute largely to poor sanitation.

 

            It was in this context the Central Rural Sanitation Programme (CRSP) was launched by Government of India in 1986 with the objective of improving the quality of life of the rural people and to provide privacy and dignity to women. The concept of sanitation was earlier limited to disposal of human excreta by cesspools, open ditches, pit latrines, bucket system etc. Today it connotes a comprehensive concept, which includes liquid and solid waste disposal, food hygiene, and personal, domestic as well as environmental hygiene.

CRSP was restructured in 1999, following which, a demand responsive community led “Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC)” was introduced which emphasizes more on Information, Education and Communication (IEC), Human Resource Development, Capacity Development activities to increase awareness and demand generation for sanitary facilities.

Total Sanitation Campaign is a comprehensive programme to ensure sanitation facilities in rural areas with broader goal to eradicate the practice of open defecation.

The main focus of the campaign is on motivating people to adopt good hygienic practices and develop an open defecation free (OFD) environment for ever.

This program is being implemented under direction of Government of India (Department of Drinking Water S TSC Guideline Oct-07 TSC Objectives and Strategy upply, Ministry of Rural Development). Nirmal Gram Puraskar Strategic Communication-TSC Checklist For Baseline Survey