Roles of Local Government in Promoting Sanitation Practices in India and Nepal: A Comparative Review

Abstract

Background: Local governance institutions are crucial actors in carrying out sanitation policies at the household/community level. In India and Nepal, the decentralized and federal forms of governance create ample chances for local governance institutions in promoting toilet usage, good hygienic practices, solid waste management, community participation, and sustainable sanitation. Diverse capacities of local governance institutions in terms of finance, inclusion, monitoring, and behavior change initiatives contribute to the success of these activities.

Methods: The current paper analyzes recent peer-reviewed academic literature (primarily from 2021 to 2026) on the following themes: local governance, sanitation promotion, WASH, behavior change, and community participation in India and Nepal. Priority has been given to academic sources with clear Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs). The chosen literature has been analyzed thematically and comparatively.

Results: As a result, the following findings have been obtained. Local governments support the sanitation agenda through the implementation of policies, planning, budgeting, infrastructural development, behavior change communication, mobilization of communities, monitoring and coordination, and inclusion of marginalized groups. In India, Gram Panchayats and urban local governments are the key institutions involved in the localization of the Swachh Bharat Mission. Municipalities and Rural Municipalities are responsible for WASH within the scope of federalism in Nepal. The challenges faced in India and Nepal include sustainability, institutional capacity, unequal participation, lack of water resources, financing, and the gap between sanitation infrastructures and their usage.

Conclusion: Sustainable local sanitation governance requires not only the achievement of national targets. The effective implementation of local sanitation policies is connected to capable, accountable, inclusive, and adequately funded local governance institutions that implement infrastructural and behavioral initiatives of sanitation promotion.

Novelty: The current paper provides a comparative synthesis of recent academic research on the role of local governance in sanitation practices in India and Nepal.