This document by Department of Drinking Water Supply is on the guidelines of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) (July 2012). The details of the guidelines are elaborated in 23 different sections, followed by an exhaustive list of annexure. It starts with a brief background to relationship between water, health and sanitation and government’s initiative to address this problem.  The journey from Central Rural Sanitation Programme (CRSP) to NBA is also spelt out.

The document then goes on to highlight the objectives of NBA, which are as follows:

• Bring about an improvement in the general quality of life in the rural areas.
• Accelerate sanitation coverage in rural areas to achieve the vision of Nirmal Bharat by 2022 with all gram Panchayats in the country attaining Nirmal status.
• Motivate communities and Panchayati Raj Institutions promoting sustainable sanitation facilities through awareness creation and health education.
• To cover the remaining schools not covered under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Anganwadi Centres in the rural areas with proper sanitation facilities and undertake proactive promotion of hygiene education and sanitary habits among students.
• Encourage cost effective and appropriate technologies for ecologically safe and sustainable sanitation.
• Develop community managed environmental sanitation systems focusing on solid & liquid waste management for overall cleanliness in the rural areas.

 The programme components, National Scheme Sanctioning Committee (NSSC), to approve or revise the project proposals for the districts, implementing agencies of NBA , role of Panchayati Raj Institutions, non governmental organisations, corporate bodies, funding aspects of NBA and the annual implementation plan are some of the other important aspects that are discussed in the document.

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