- In 2014, the Indian government launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, also known as the Clean India Mission, as a nationwide campaign with the objective of eradicating open defecation and enhancing the management of solid waste.
- It represents a revamped iteration of the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, which was introduced in 2009 but fell short of its intended objectives.
- The inaugural phase of the Swachh Bharat mission extended until October 2019, aiming to eliminate manual scavenging, raise awareness, induce behavioral changes in sanitation practices, and enhance local-level capabilities.
- The second phase, slated for implementation from 2020–21 to 2024-25, seeks to maintain open defecation-free status and enhance the management of both solid and liquid waste. Aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 6.2 set by the United Nations in 2015, the mission is divided into rural (“SBM – Gramin”), overseen by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, and urban (“SBM – urban”), supervised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
HISTORICAL SANITATION INITIATIVE
- Formal sanitation endeavors commenced in 1954, marking the initiation of a structured sanitation program in India.
- An evaluation in rural Madhya Pradesh, encompassing eighty villages, revealed that the TSC program marginally increased the number of households with latrines and exhibited a slight reduction in open defecation. However, no discernible improvement in children’s health was observed.
- The earlier rural sanitation initiative, Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, faced challenges due to an impractical approach.
- Consequently, it underwent restructuring and received Cabinet approval on September 24, 2014, transforming into the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
- The trajectory of rural household toilet coverage in India witnessed a notable rise: 1% in 1981, 11% in 1991, 22% in 2001, and 32.7% in 2011.
- Since 2014, the Government of India has made significant strides in achieving Open Defecation Free targets. As of January 2020, 36 states and union territories, 706 districts, and over 603,175 villages have been declared open defecation free.
- This progress has substantially improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions.
- The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) played a pivotal role in transforming the behavior of hundreds of millions of people regarding toilet access and usage.
- This success is attributed to the Swacch Bharat Mission, led by the Prime Minister. Despite these impressive figures, it remains crucial for social and behavioral change communication approaches to align with service delivery to ensure that families receiving toilets continue to use them consistently.
OBJECTIVES OF SBM
- Eliminate Open Defecation:
- The primary goal is to eradicate the practice of open defecation across the country.
- Conversion of Insanitary Toilets:
- Transforming insanitary toilets into pour-flush toilets, promoting improved sanitation infrastructure.
- Eradication of Manual Scavenging:
- Work towards the complete elimination of manual scavenging, addressing the challenges associated with this hazardous practice.
- Scientific Processing/Disposal of Municipal Solid Waste:
- Achieve 100% collection and scientifically manage the processing, disposal, reuse, and recycling of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW).
- Behavioral Change in Sanitation Practices:
- Foster a behavioral shift among the populace, encouraging healthy sanitation practices and promoting the use of improved sanitation facilities.
- Create Awareness About Sanitation:
- Raise awareness among citizens about the importance of sanitation and its direct linkages with public health.
- Strengthening Urban Local Bodies:
- Empower urban local bodies to design, execute, and operate effective sanitation systems, enhancing their capacity for efficient management.
- Private Sector Participation:
- Create an enabling environment for increased private sector participation, both in Capital Expenditure and Operation & Maintenance (O&M) costs, to ensure sustainable sanitation solutions.
COMPONENTS OF SBM
- Construction of Household Toilets:
- Focuses on the construction of toilets at the household level, promoting individual sanitation facilities.
- Community & Public Toilets:
- Involves the construction and maintenance of community and public toilets to ensure access to sanitation facilities in shared spaces.
- Solid Waste Management:
- Aims to address the management of solid waste by implementing effective collection, processing, and disposal mechanisms.
- Information, Education & Communication (IEC) and Public Awareness:
- Encompasses activities related to information dissemination, education, communication, and public awareness to promote behavioral change towards better sanitation practices.
- Capacity Building and Administrative & Office Expenses (A&OE):
- Includes efforts to enhance the capacity of stakeholders involved in the mission and covers administrative and office-related expenses.
Funding Mechanism of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
- Budgetary Allocations:
- Funds allocated through the government budget to support the various components of the Swachh Bharat Mission.
- World Bank Support:
- Financial and technical support from the World Bank to aid in the implementation of the mission.
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiatives:
- Contributions from corporations as part of their CSR initiatives to promote social and environmental causes.
- State Government Funding:
- Financial support from state governments under programs like ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ and ‘Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan.’
- Swachh Bharat Kosh (SBK):
- Funding through the Swachh Bharat Kosh, which involves a Swachh Bharat cess, an additional 0.5% on all services in India.
SUB SCHEMES OF SWACHH BHARAT ABHIYAN
Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban):
Aimed at providing sanitation and household toilet facilities in statutory towns with a combined population of 377 million.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 1.0:
Commissioned under the Ministry of Urban Development with an estimated cost of Rs 62,009 crore over five years.
Targets covering 1.04 crore households, providing 2.5 lakh community toilet seats, 2.6 lakh public toilet seats, and establishing solid waste management facilities in every town.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0
In the Union Budget 2021, the government allocated Rs 1,41,678 crores for the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0. The components of SBM-Urban 2.0 include:
- Wastewater Treatment and Faecal Sludge Management:
- Addressing wastewater treatment, including faecal sludge management, in all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with less than 1 lakh population.
- Sustainable Sanitation (Construction of Toilets):
- Focusing on the construction of toilets to promote sustainable sanitation practices.
- Solid Waste Management:
- Enhancing solid waste management mechanisms to ensure effective waste disposal and recycling.
- Information, Education, and Communication (IEC):
- Undertaking activities to create awareness and educate the public regarding sanitation practices.
- Capacity Building:
- Enhancing the capabilities of stakeholders involved in the mission through training and development.
Achievements Expected:
- ODF (Open Defecation Free):
- No visible faeces in the environment, and every household and public/community institution using safe technology for faecal disposal.
- ODF+ Certification:
- All statutory towns certified, ensuring no open defecation or urination, and proper maintenance of community and public toilets.
- ODF++ Certification:
- Certification for statutory towns with less than 1 lakh population, emphasizing proper treatment and management of faecal sludge/septage and sewage.
- Water+ Certification:
- Certification for half of the statutory towns with less than 1 lakh population, ensuring no untreated wastewater discharge into the environment or water bodies.
- Garbage Free Rating:
- Rating of at least 3-star “Garbage Free” for all statutory towns based on the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ Star Rating Protocol for Garbage Free cities.
- Bioremediation of Legacy Dumpsites:
- Implementation of bio-remediation measures for all legacy dumpsites.
- Swachh Survekshan:
- Launch of the Swachh Survekshan 2020 (SS 2020) league for quarterly cleanliness assessments of cities and towns in India.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural)
The Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural), under the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitization, Ministry of Jalshakti, consists of two phases:
Phase I:
- Restructured from the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan to Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) launched on October 2, 2014.
- Aims to achieve cleanliness in rural areas, making them Open Defecation Free (ODF) in five years.
- Provides incentives for the construction of Individual Household Latrines (IHHL).
- Successfully declared all districts in India as ODF by October 2, 2019.
Phase II:
- Focuses on sustaining achievements made, ensuring safe access to toilets, effective solid and liquid waste management (SLWM), and no one left behind.
- Implemented from 2020-21 to 2024-25 with a cost of Rs 1,40,881 crores.
- Monitored based on outcomes in four key areas: bio-degradable solid waste management, plastic waste management, fecal sludge management, and grey water management.
- Continues to create employment, boost rural economy, and construct toilets and waste management infrastructure.
FAQs – Swachh Bharat Mission
1. What is Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)?
A: Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is a nationwide campaign launched by the Indian government in 2014, also known as the Clean India Mission. It aims to eliminate open defecation, improve solid waste management, and bring about behavioral changes in sanitation practices.
2. How does SBM differ from its predecessor, Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan?
A: SBM is a revamped version of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, introduced in 2009. Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan faced challenges and fell short of objectives, leading to its restructuring into Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014.
3. What were the objectives of Phase 1 of the Swachh Bharat Mission (2014-2019)?
A: Phase 1 aimed to eliminate manual scavenging, raise awareness, induce behavioral changes in sanitation practices, and enhance local-level capabilities. It concluded in October 2019.
4. What are the objectives of Phase 2 of the Swachh Bharat Mission (2020-2025)?
A: Phase 2 focuses on sustaining open defecation-free status, improving solid and liquid waste management, and aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 6.2. It will be implemented from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
5. How is the mission structured between rural and urban areas?
A: SBM has two components: “SBM – Gramin” for rural areas under the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, and “SBM – Urban” for urban areas supervised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
6. What were the earlier sanitation initiatives in India?
A: Historical sanitation initiatives include programs like the Central Rural Sanitation Programme (1986), Total Sanitation Campaign (1999), and Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (2012).
7. What achievements has SBM made since 2014?
A: As of January 2020, 36 states, 706 districts, and over 603,175 villages have been declared open defecation free, impacting water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions positively.
8. What are the primary objectives of SBM?
A: The main objectives include eliminating open defecation, converting insanitary toilets, eradicating manual scavenging, ensuring scientific processing/disposal of municipal solid waste, inducing behavioral changes, creating awareness, and strengthening local bodies.
9. What are the components of SBM?
A: SBM comprises the construction of household toilets, community & public toilets, solid waste management, information, education & communication (IEC), and capacity building/administrative expenses.
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