Swachh Bharat Mission, one of the first programmes announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he took office in 2014, completes 10 years on October 2. While announcing the “Clean India campaign”, the PM had said: “A clean India would be the best tribute India could pay to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary in 2019.”
10 Years Of Launch Of Swachh Bharat Mission
Why In News
- Swachh Bharat Mission, one of the first programmes announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he took office in 2014, completes 10 years on October 2. While announcing the “Clean India campaign”, the PM had said: “A clean India would be the best tribute India could pay to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary in 2019.”
Swachh Bharat Mission
- The mission was divided into SBM-Gramin for villages, and SBM-Urban for cities, executed by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs respectively.
- SBM’s focus areas were building individual toilets, community toilets, solid waste management, and leading awareness campaigns aimed at behavioural changes.
- Theme for Swachhata Hi Seva 2024, ‘Swabhav Swachhata, Sanskaar Swachhata’, has once again united the nation in its commitment to cleanliness, public health, and environmental sustainability.
- Under Swachhata Hi Seva 2024, over 19.70 lakhs programmes have been completed with public participation of more than 17 crore people. Transformation of around 6.5 lakh Cleanliness Target Units has been achieved. Nearly 1 lakh SafaiMitra Suraksha Shivirs have also been organised, benefitting over 30 lakh Safai Mitras. Further, over 45 lakh trees have been planted under the Ek Ped Maa ke Naam campaign.
- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will participate in Swachh Bharat Diwas 2024 programme on the occasion of 155th Gandhi Jayanti on 2nd October at around 10 AM in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
- During the programme, the Prime Minister will launch and lay the foundation stone for several projects related to sanitation and cleanliness, worth over Rs 9600 crore. It will include projects worth over Rs 6,800 crore, aimed at enhancing urban water and sewage systems under AMRUT and AMRUT 2.0, 10 projects worth over Rs 1550 crore focused on improving water quality and waste management in Ganga basin areas under National Mission for Clean Ganga and 15 Compressed Biogas (CBG) Plant projects worth over Rs 1332 crore under GOBARdhan Scheme.
Targets Of SBM
- The PM announced that the SBM’s main goal was to make India “Open defecation-free” (ODF) by October 2, 2019, for which crores of household and community toilets had to be constructed.
- The definition of ODF under the mission is as follows: “A city/ ward can be notified/ declared as an ODF city/ ODF ward if, at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating in the open.”
- The aim was to equip all households with individual toilets, ensure communities have cluster toilets, and that school and anganwadi toilets have waste management systems. Solid waste includes organic and inorganic materials (kitchen waste, plastics, metals, etc.), while liquid waste management deals with wastewater that is no longer fit for human consumption.
- To achieve this, the government’s assistance was increased from Rs 10,000 per toilet (under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan of the previous UPA government) to Rs 12,000 under SBM. When the mission completed five years in 2021, the government launched SBM 2.0, with a focus on garbage-free cities, faecal sludge, plastic waste, and greywater management.
Achievements Of The Swachh Bharat Mission
- Improved Health: The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that 3 lakh fewer people died from diarrhoea in 2019 compared to 2014, thanks to better sanitation. The mission has also contributed to reductions in malaria, stillbirths and low birth weight in children under five.
- More Toilets: The mission has successfully provided toilets to 1 crore rural households and has benefited around 5 crore people across 6.3 lakh villages. Many villages have been declared ODF (Open Defecation Free), meaning that every household has access to a toilet.
- Better Safety for Women: According to UNICEF, 93% of women report feeling safer after having a toilet in their homes.
- Savings for Families: Households in ODF villages save an average of Rs 50,000 per year on health-related expenses.
- Reduced Groundwater Contamination: In ODF villages, the likelihood of human-caused groundwater contamination is 12.7 times lower.
- Swachh Iconic Places: The initiative has seen support from corporations and private individuals to clean and maintain iconic places in India.
- Awards for Cleanliness: Cities and towns across India are recognized as ‘Swachh Cities’ based on their sanitation and cleanliness efforts.
- International Recognition: PM Modi received the Global Goalkeeper Award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2019 for the progress made under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
- Urban Sanitation: The Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) aims to make urban India free from open defecation and achieve 100% scientific management of municipal solid waste.
‘Waste To Wealth’ Mantra
- The Celebrating 10-year Milestone Of Swachh Bharat Mission, PM Modi Noted Growing Popularity Of ‘Waste To Wealth’ Mantra, With Increased Awareness About The Principles Of Reduce, Reuse, And Recycle Across The Nation.
