Policy to Practice: The Role of CSR in Marketing Swachh Bharat to Urban India's Marginalised Segments

Abstract

To analyse the implementation of India's Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) among urban impoverished populations in the Delhi NCR, this study looks at the strategic importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR). There is still a sizable "policy-to-practice" gap despite the Companies Act of 2013's successful shift of CSR from voluntary philanthropy to a formal obligation. The study finds "Infrastructure-Aspiration Paradox" using primary field data from 29 respondents. The results show that although corporate branding successfully raises "Dignity" and "Status" (55.2% positive sentiment), there is a serious infrastructure maintenance problem (72.4% negative sentiment). The data make it abundantly evident that installing a toilet is just the first step; what really changes lives is how it is maintained.