Wl-6772-Beyond Infrastructure

Number of toilets in India has increased as a part of large-scale toilet construction programme. Access to toilets does not always lead to use of toilets. Socio-economic factors play a key role in determining the usage of toilets. This study examines the impact of socio-economic characteristics on usage of sanitation facilities among rural households, based on a sample size of 386 households from rural Maharashtra. Logistic Regression is applied to understand the likelihood of using the toilet based on selected socio-economic variables. Education, occupation, age of the household head and size of the household are significant determinants in usage of toilets while religion, caste, gender of the household head and availability of water are found to be insignificant. Findings disclose that where there are cultural and social attitudes that act as barriers to utilising toilets, infrastructure alone does not guarantee use. Future sanitation initiatives in rural India must concentrate on comprehending and overcoming these psychological impediments. There should be a constant nudge to motivate people, especially the younger age-group to adapt to using the improved sanitation facilities. Self-help groups can also play an active role in spreading awareness about sanitation facilities and its maintenance and the associated health benefits amongst its members

Business · Economics · Environmental planning · Geography · Natural resource economics · Sanitation · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Environmental Engineering · Environmental Science