• Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar said two lakh difficult and dirty spots have been marked across the country to carry out a cleanliness drive during the 15-day national social mobilisation campaign from September 17 to October 2 for a clean nation.

• Under the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ campaign, this year’s theme is ‘Swabhav Swachhata Sanskaar Swachhata’ jointly spearheaded by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in collaboration with the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti.

The campaign has been built around three key pillars:

i) Swachhata Ki Bhaagidari - Public participation, awareness and advocacy activities for Swachh Bharat.

ii) Sampoorna Swachhata - Mega cleanliness drives and time bound transformation of Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs), which are difficult and dirty spots.

iii) SafaiMitra Suraksha Shivir - Single-window Seva, Suraksha and Samman camps for health checkups and welfare of sanitation workers.

• This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission.

Swachh Bharat Mission

• The Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U), launched on October 1, 2014 aims at making urban India free from open defecation and achieving 100 per cent scientific management of municipal solid waste in 4,041 statutory towns in the country. 

• The second phase of SBM-U was launched on October 1, 2021, for a period of five years. The vision for SBM-U 2.0 is to achieve “Garbage Free” status for all cities by 2026.

Achievements of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan:

Sanitation Coverage:

• Achievement: Sanitation coverage in India increased from 39 per cent in 2014 to 100 per cent in 2019 under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G).

ODF Status:

• Goal: SBM aimed to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by October 2019, with a goal to transition to ODF Plus by 2024-25.

• Progress: About 85% of villages have attained ODF Plus status.

Toilet Access:

• Survey Findings: According to the National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) Round 3, about 95 per cent of India’s rural population has toilet access, with 79 per cent owning their facilities.

• Impact: This significant increase has contributed to reducing open defecation and associated diseases.

Public Toilets:

• Construction: The mission has facilitated the construction of over 6 lakh community and public toilets across India.

Waste Collection and Management:

• Improvements: Many cities and towns have seen enhancements in door-to-door waste collection, waste segregation, and scientific waste processing, including biomethanation plants and material recovery facilities.

• Impact: These improvements address India’s significant waste management challenges.

Behavioural Change and Awareness:

• Campaigns: SBM has emphasized behavioural change through extensive mass awareness campaigns, encouraging cleaner practices.

• Public Discourse: The mission has significantly raised awareness and brought sanitation and cleanliness into public discussion.

Competition for Cleanliness:

• Initiatives: Activities like Swachhta leagues and city cleanliness rankings have fostered positive competition among towns and cities.

• Outcome: Increased public satisfaction with sanitation and cleanliness.

Investment in Waste Management:

• Funding: SBM has mobilised over Rs 20,000 crores for investment in solid and liquid waste management systems.

• Urban Infrastructure: This funding has strengthened urban infrastructure across India.

Limitations of Swachh Bharat Mission:

Low Toilet Usage:

• Usage Gap: Despite achieving 100 per cent sanitation coverage, only 85 per cent of rural Indians use safe and hygienic toilets, indicating a significant usage gap.

Quality and Infrastructure Issues:

• Problems: Issues include malfunctioning facilities, unhygienic conditions, and structural defects such as full pits or collapsing superstructures, which affect toilet usage.

Water Scarcity Impact:

• Limited Access: Water scarcity, especially in rural areas like Gujarat’s Dahod district, contributes to increased non-usage of toilets.

Behavioural and Social Norms:

• Cultural Influences: Cultural norms and behaviours affect toilet usage, with some households repurposing toilets for other activities.

Challenges in Larger Households:

•  Overcrowding: Large households face challenges with overcrowding and inadequate toilet facilities.

Issues in Solid Waste Management:

• Challenges: While toilet construction has progressed, scientific waste collection, segregation, and disposal remain problematic due to resource and capacity constraints.

Partial Focus on Plastic Waste:

• Gap: SBM’s focus has been primarily on toilet construction and solid waste, with insufficient attention to plastic waste management and recycling.

Centralised Approach and Targets:

• Implementation: The mission has largely adopted a centralised, top-down approach with less emphasis on decentralised, community-driven efforts.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)