Recasting Sanitation Through Urban –Rural Partnerships

Why in the News?

As India moves beyond universal toilet construction under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), the next major challenge is managing faecal sludge and wastewater generated from these toilets, especially in rural and peri-urban areas. A pilot urban–rural partnership model in Satara district, Maharashtra, demonstrates how nearby urban treatment infrastructure can be used to support rural sanitation – offering a scalable model for sustainable waste management under Swachh Bharat Mission–Grameen (SBM-G) Phase II.

Background

SBM launched in 2014

• Mission: ensure every household has access to a toilet
• Outcome: 12 crore+ rural toilets built; all villages declared Open Defecation Free (ODF)
• Led to improved dignity, safety for women, and public health gains

Shift to ODF Plus

• SBM-G Phase II focuses on:
  • Solid & liquid waste management
  • Behaviour change
  • Sustainability of sanitation outcomes
• As of Oct 2025 → 97%+ villages declared ODF Plus

Persistent Gap

• Most rural households use septic tanks or pits
• Regular desludging is required
• Unsafe disposal risks undoing ODF gains

Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) has become a critical missing link in the service chain.

Features

Maharashtra’s FSM Initiatives

• 200+ faecal sludge treatment plants (FSTPs) in urban areas
• 41 sewage treatment plants co-treat sludge
• Challenge: linking the surrounding villages to these facilities

Satara Urban–Rural Partnership Model

• Satara city FSTP (65 KLD) had spare capacity.
• Four neighbouring villages – Jakatwadi, Songaon, Kodoli, Degaon- now use the same facility.
  

How it works

• Gram panchayats engage private desludging operators
• Scheduled desludging every 5 years
• Costs recovered through a small sanitation tax
• Formal MoU allows free disposal at the city FSTP

Outcomes:

• Safe desludging
• Lower cost for households
• Optimal use of existing urban infrastructure
  

Standalone Rural Cluster Model- Mayani

• Large village with heavy desludging demand
• Scheduled desludging introduced
• A cluster-level FSTP planned to serve ~80 villages
• Managed by:
  • Private operators or
  • Self-help groups (SHGs)

Institutional Partnership Focus

• Collaboration between:
  • Gram panchayats
  • Municipal councils
  • Private sector
  • Citizens

Challenges

Limited FSM Coverage in Rural Areas

• Informal desludging of the common
• Unsafe dumping persists

Cost & Access Constraints

• High costs deter regular desludging.

Behavioural Barriers

• Many tanks never desludge until overflow occurs.

Institutional Fragmentation

• Separate urban & rural jurisdictions
• Weak coordination

Environmental Risk

• Untreated sludge contaminates land & water.
  

Why Urban–Rural Partnerships Matter

• Efficient use of existing treatment infrastructure
• Lower costs for rural populations
• Improves public health outcomes
• Strengthens local governance collaboration
• Supports ODF Plus sustainability

Way Forward

Scale Urban–Rural FSM Partnerships Nationally

• Use underutilised urban treatment capacity

Promote Cluster-Based Rural FSTPs

• Especially in remote regions

Institutionalise Scheduled Desludging

• Fixed service intervals
• Tax-based cost recovery

Strengthen Regulations & Standards

• Build Local Capacity
• Train operators & SHGs

Community Engagement

• Awareness of safe sanitation chains

Conclusion

India’s sanitation journey has moved from toilet construction to sustainable waste management. The Satara model shows that urban–rural partnerships can bridge FSM gaps, protect health, preserve environmental gains, and uphold the dignity achieved under Swachh Bharat. Scaling such models nationally will ensure that sanitation success is not temporary, but resilient and future-ready.

Urban Rural