Rama Krishna Sangem
Parameswaran Iyer, Executive Director at the World Bank and former CEO of NITI Aayog, delivered an insightful ASCI Lecture on Implementing At-scale Transformational Programs. The Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Hyderabad hosted this event at CR-I, Bella Vista, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad, drawing distinguished personalities, on April 3, Wednesday.
The proceedings commenced with a warm welcome by Prof (Dr) Nirmalya Bagchi, Director General (In-charge) of ASCI, setting the stage for an enriching discourse. Dr Subodh Kandamutha, Dean of ASCI, introduced the distinguished guest, said a press release.
Iyer spoke about the country’s remarkable success over the last decade in implementing large-scale transformational programs on the ground. He emphasized India’s status as the world’s most populous country, highlighting that any endeavor undertaken in India, if executed effectively, has a significant global impact. He underscored the transition from conceptualization to implementation, which has transformed lives and improved living standards over the past ten years.
Swachh Bharat, transformational program
He cited the Swachh Bharat Mission as a prime example of a large-scale transformational program. The challenge in 2014 lay in sanitation, which lacked demand compared to clean water. Creating awareness and changing behaviors to emphasize the importance of sanitation posed a significant challenge, especially considering India’s high percentage of open defecators.
The outcomes of the Swachh Bharat Revolution were monumental, with millions adopting improved sanitation practices and achieving open defecation-free status across villages and districts. Iyer also shared lessons learned, highlighting the critical role of political leadership, public financing, partnerships, and people’s participation. He then concluded his talk, addressing questions from the audience, including water stress management in Bengaluru, metrics to evaluate the Swachh Bharat Mission, and funding mechanisms.
He emphasized the criticality of water resource management and cited the Jal Shakti Abhiyan as an example. K Padmanabhaiah, IAS (Retd), Chairman, presented a memento to Parameswaran Iyer, and Dr. Subodh Kandamuthan extended a vote of thanks, concluding the program.
