Lecture by Shri Parameswaran Iyer, Executive Director, World Bank & former CEO, NITI Aayog
Shri 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) proudly hosted this event at CR-I, Bella Vista, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad, drawing distinguished personalities and thought leaders from various sectors.
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.
Shri Parameswaran 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. These programs, delivered within a federal framework, demonstrate strong collaboration among the central, state, and local levels, both in urban and rural areas, which is a hallmark of our federal system.
Many of these initiatives have evolved into ‘Jan Andolans’ or people’s movements, where excitement about development fuels impactful stories. Shri. Iyer shared his experiences, including his accidental expertise in water and sanitation since joining the UP cadre in 1981.
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 Swachh Bharat Mission addressed these challenges through its ‘4S es’: Scale, Speed, Stigmas, and Sustainability. Measures included mobilizing school students, training local influencers, and leveraging mass media. Eradicating stigmas was achieved through innovative approaches like the ‘Nudge Theory’ and leveraging popular culture.
Sustainability posed a significant challenge, which Shri. Iyer addressed through the ABCDEF of Implementation: Aligning with the vision, fostering belief, effective communication, democratization, evaluating for credibility, and ensuring follow-through.
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.
Shri. 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. Shri. K Padmanabhaiah, IAS (Retd), Chairman, presented a memento to Shri. Shri Parameswaran Iyer, and Dr. Subodh Kandamuthan extended a vote of thanks, concluding the program.