Business Research Assignment

Research Proposal for Impact

Evaluation of an Intervention
Program

Submitted By: Team Gagan

Members:

Kushagra Agarwal

Astha Singhal
Gagandeep Oberoi

1. Title of proposed impact evaluation study

To support the design and evaluation of innovative interventions to promote
latrine use in rural India.

2. Nature of the study

We have no clear intervention(s) in mind yet. The formative study will be
conducted to identify potential intervention(s)

3. States/Union Territories where the formative study will be

conducted.
a) Meghalaya
b) Haryana
c) Tripura
d) Madhya Pradesh
e) Rajasthan
f) Uttar Pradesh
g) Assam
h) Jharkhand
i) Uttarakhand
j) Bihar
k) Manipur
l) Odisha
m) Chhattisgarh

4. District(s) where formative study will be conducted, if known:

Rajsamand (Rajasthan),
Khoda (UP)

5. Scope
Our scope of this intervention will be limited to rural India. The interventions
may be implemented in SBM covered villages or in areas where similar
programmes have been implemented. We will include at least one principal
investigator (PI) who is an Indian national and resident in India. Through our
thematic window, we wish to understand the possible reasons for less
acceptance of latrine use in rural area. What can be the reasons for aversion
of rural population towards use of toilets. And after that, using the results to
formulate interventions to proote latrine use.

6. Barriers to and determinants of latrine use in rural India.

Government subsidized latrines were mostly found unfinished. Many counted

as complete per government standards for disbursement of financial
subsidies to contracted NGOs were not accepted by their owners and termed
as 'incomplete'. These latrines lacked a roof, door, adequate walls and any
provision for water supply in or near the cabin, whereas rural people had
elaborate processes of cleansing with water post defecation, making
presence of a nearby water source important. Habits, socialising, sanitation
rituals and daily routines varying with caste, gender, marital status, age and
lifestyle, also hindered the adoption of latrines. Interest in constructing
latrines was observed among male heads for their female members
especially a newlywed daughter-in-law, reflecting concerns for their privacy,
security, and convenience.

7. Intervention Identification Process

a) The theoretical framework which will be used for this approach
The theoretical framework will be based on Secondary Search. The data from
government will be extracted to form a statistic of rural areas in India without
access to toilets/latrines. A list of Indian states and territories ranked by the
availability of toilet facilities per household published by the 2011 Census of
India can be used. Various UNICEF and WHO reports also provide data on use
of latrines in India. According to 2012 UNICEF/WHO data, while 20% of urban
households without a household latrine used a shared or public toilet, only
5% of rural households did. According to the World Bank, poor sanitation
causes India economic losses amounting to 6.4% of Indias GDP in 2006 or
USD 53.8 billion (Rs. 2.4 trillion) per year, which is equivalent to USD $43 for
every Indian per year. Such research can help to understand the present
trends in India and identify possible reasons for the problem related to latrine
use in India. The theory behind the literacy among rural population regarding
sanitation can be understood through these researches.
b) Rationale for selection of implementing agency and target population,
including geographical location.
Paragraph Font Family Font Size Paragraph Font Family Font Size We have
used the 2011 Census of India data
http://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/hlo/Data_sheet/India/Latrine.pdf) to
identify the states with availability of latrines below the average for India.
These states have been targeted in junction with the data of rural
population of India statewise
(http://hetv.org/india/indiapopulation2012.htm). The target districts can
be chosen through a research or visits to these states to identify the
districts with highest percentage of open defecation.
c) Engagement activities with the implementing agency, including proposed
plan for capacity building workshop.

Implementing agency needs to carry out the proposed intervention in the

target areas. After conducting the research, the intervention will be shared
with the implementing agency. Engagement activities will be summits and
monthly meeting with the agencies. Inputs from the agency will be taken
after 80% completion of the research to start early work and planning. The
expertise and past work of the agency should be leveraged to formulate
an effective implementation plan.
d) Engagement activities with target population
A campaign to increase awareness among the population regarding
sanitation in the target areas in anticipated. The camp will educate the
population with the present scenario and the health problems open
defecation causes. An initiative must be taken to break the myths in the
minds of the rural population regarding use of latrines. Some are avert to
sharing of latrines while some families try to avoid the efforts,
maintenance and foul smell related to use of household latrines.
8. Proposed timeline of activities
Please list the steps and timeframes of all key activities. Types of tasks listed
can include, but are not limited to, capacity building workshop, intervention
design, pilot testing, data collection, data analyses, etc.
Activities Timeline
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.

Initial Study November 2016 Week1

Signing of grant agreements November 2016 Week1
Inception workshop November 2016 Week2
Developing methodology November 2016 Week2
Conducting research November 2016 Week3
Analyzing results December 2016 Week1
Formulating Interventions December 2016 Week3
Submission of:(1) formative study report including pilot
results, and(2) Impact evaluation proposal February 2017 Week4