The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) was launched on October 2, 2014, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the primary goal of achieving a Clean India by 2019 as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary. This massive national initiative aims to eliminate open defecation, improve waste management, and encourage behavioral changes towards sanitation and hygiene practices across India.
Key Components of the Swachh Bharat Mission
The Swachh Bharat Mission has two major components:
- Urban Component (SBM-U): Managed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, it focuses on eliminating open defecation in cities and urban areas, transforming unsanitary toilets, and improving municipal solid waste management.
- Rural Component (SBM-G): Overseen by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, this component emphasizes making rural areas free from open defecation and promoting solid and liquid waste management.
SBM-U 2.0: Garbage-Free Cities and Improved Waste Management
In 2021, Prime Minister Modi launched SBM-U 2.0, a new phase that aims to make all cities garbage-free and ensure effective management of grey and black water. This initiative also focuses on source segregation of waste and the clearance of legacy landfills. With a significant budget allocation of ₹1.41 lakh crore, SBM-U 2.0 is expected to propel Indian cities towards improved sanitation practices and cleanliness.
SBM-G 2.0: From ODF to ODF Plus
The rural component, SBM-G 2.0, aims to sustain the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status achieved by 2019 and shift towards ODF Plus, focusing on managing solid and liquid waste by 2025. Government assistance for toilet construction under SBM was increased to ₹12,000 per household, facilitating the rapid adoption of sanitation infrastructure across rural India.
Achievements of the Swachh Bharat Mission
Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi participated in Swachhata activities on Gandhi Jayanti & urged everyone to take part in similar activities during the day. Let’s continue to strengthen the Swachh Bharat Mission together! #10YearsOfSwachhBharat #SHS2024 #GandhiJayanti2024 https://t.co/5vkUOpfhiF
— Swachh Bharat Urban (@SwachhBharatGov) October 2, 2024
- Over 10 crore toilets have been built under SBM since 2014.
- India achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status across 6 lakh villages by 2019.
- The mission led to the construction of over 66 lakh individual toilets in urban areas.
- 97% of municipal wards in cities now have door-to-door waste collection services.
- SBM-G 2.0 received an increased allocation of ₹1.40 lakh crore from 2020 to 2025 to sustain cleanliness in rural areas.
- In 2019, urban India, except for a few cities in West Bengal, was declared ODF.
Impact of the Swachh Bharat Mission
The mission has had a significant impact on the health and well-being of the population. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 2014 and 2019, the Swachh Bharat Mission helped avert over 3 lakh deaths due to diarrhea and malnutrition. Additionally, the availability of toilets in rural areas has improved the lives of women and children, with a significant reduction in the incidence of diseases related to poor sanitation.
Government Initiatives under SBM
The government has launched various programs and schemes under SBM to ensure cleanliness and sanitation:
- AMRUT: Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation focuses on improving water supply, sewage networks, and reducing pollution in urban areas.
- GOBARdhan Scheme: This initiative aims to convert animal waste and other organic waste into biogas and compost, promoting waste-to-wealth practices.
Namami Gange: A project aimed at cleaning the Ganga River through better waste management practices in the cities and villages along its banks.
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The Swachh Bharat Mission is a national movement launched in 2014 to make India clean by eliminating open defecation and improving waste management across urban and rural areas.
The two main components are SBM-Urban (focused on urban cleanliness and sanitation) and SBM-Gramin (targeting rural sanitation). Both components aim to eliminate open defecation and improve waste management practices.
SBM 1.0, launched in 2014, aimed to make India Open Defecation Free by 2019. SBM 2.0, launched in 2021, focuses on making all cities garbage-free, improving wastewater management, and achieving sustainable cleanliness by 2025.
According to WHO, the mission has helped prevent 3 lakh deaths from diseases like diarrhea and malnutrition from 2014 to 2019. It has also led to a significant reduction in disease outbreaks related to poor sanitation.
SBM has constructed over 10 crore toilets, declared 6 lakh villages ODF, and implemented waste management in over 97% of municipal wards. SBM has significantly improved sanitation infrastructure in both urban and rural India.