Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA), also known as the Clean India Mission, is a national cleanliness campaign launched by the Government of India to achieve universal sanitation coverage, eliminate open defecation, and promote cleanliness across urban and rural areas. It represents one of the largest and most comprehensive public health and sanitation drives in the world, symbolising a national movement toward hygiene, dignity, and environmental sustainability.
The programme was officially launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2 October 2014, commemorating the 145th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who championed cleanliness as a core element of social reform and civic responsibility.

Background and Objectives

Prior to Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, India faced serious sanitation challenges, including widespread open defecation, inadequate waste management, and poor public hygiene infrastructure. Programmes such as the Total Sanitation Campaign (1999) and the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (2012) laid the groundwork but achieved limited success due to fragmented implementation and behavioural barriers.
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was conceived to accelerate progress and make sanitation a people’s movement (Jan Andolan), integrating government efforts with public participation.
Major objectives of the mission include:

• Eliminating open defecation through the construction of household and community toilets.
• Eradicating manual scavenging and improving sanitation workers’ conditions.
• Promoting scientific solid and liquid waste management.
• Encouraging behavioural change toward cleanliness and hygiene.
• Generating awareness through education, information, and communication campaigns.
• Involving citizens, local bodies, and NGOs in maintaining cleanliness in streets, public spaces, and institutions.

The overarching goal was to achieve a Clean India by 2 October 2019, marking the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Structure of the Mission

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan operates through two main sub-missions:

1. Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) – SBM(G): Implemented by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti. It focuses on improving sanitation coverage in rural areas through toilet construction, rural waste management, and community-led total sanitation approaches.
2. Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) – SBM(U): Managed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). It focuses on eliminating open defecation, managing municipal solid waste, and improving urban sanitation infrastructure and behaviour change.

Key Components and Activities

1. Toilet Construction:
   • Massive emphasis on building Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs) and Community Toilets in both rural and urban areas.
   • The mission succeeded in making over 100 million toilets available across India, helping declare the country Open Defecation Free (ODF) by 2019.
2. Solid Waste Management:
   • Introduction of door-to-door waste collection, segregation at source, and scientific disposal through composting, recycling, and waste-to-energy plants.
   • Encouragement of plastic waste management and ban on single-use plastics in several regions.
3. Liquid Waste and Faecal Sludge Management:
   • Development of sewage treatment facilities, soak pits, and decentralised wastewater systems, especially in smaller towns and rural areas.
4. Awareness and Behavioural Change:
   • Extensive use of mass media campaigns, school education, and community participation to promote cleanliness as a daily habit.
   • Iconic figures and public personalities were involved as Swachh Bharat Ambassadors to enhance outreach.
5. Swachh Iconic Places Initiative:
   • Launched to maintain cleanliness at heritage and pilgrimage sites such as the Taj Mahal, Vaishno Devi, and Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
6. Capacity Building and Monitoring:
   • Use of digital platforms like the Swachh Bharat Mission Dashboard, Swachh Survekshan, and mSBM app for real-time monitoring, feedback, and transparency.

Achievements of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

• Open Defecation Free (ODF) Status: By October 2019, all states and union territories declared themselves ODF, with more than 600,000 villages and 4,000+ towns achieving sanitation coverage.
• Health and Hygiene Improvement: Improved sanitation led to a decline in waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea and cholera, and better overall hygiene awareness.
• Women’s Safety and Dignity: Construction of household toilets significantly improved the safety, privacy, and dignity of women and girls.
• Employment and Rural Development: The mission created jobs in construction, waste management, and sanitation services, while boosting rural infrastructure.
• Behavioural Transformation: The campaign fostered community ownership and a sense of civic duty, linking cleanliness to national pride.
• International Recognition: Global organisations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF lauded the programme for its scale and impact on public health and sanitation.

Phase II: Swachh Bharat Mission (2020–2025)

Building on the first phase’s success, Swachh Bharat Mission Phase II was launched in February 2020, focusing on ODF sustainability and solid and liquid waste management.
Key goals include:

• Maintaining ODF status through regular monitoring and verification.
• Ensuring ODF-Plus villages with comprehensive waste management systems.
• Promoting biodegradable waste processing, plastic waste segregation, and greywater management.
• Strengthening capacity building at the Gram Panchayat level for long-term sanitation governance.

Challenges

Despite its achievements, the mission faces certain challenges:

• Sustainability of ODF status: Ensuring consistent toilet use and maintenance.
• Solid waste management gaps: Inadequate segregation and recycling in many urban areas.
• Behavioural inertia: Deep-rooted habits and cultural practices that resist change.
• Operation and maintenance costs: Limited funds and manpower for sustained sanitation infrastructure.
• Rural waste disposal: Lack of decentralised systems for managing rural waste efficiently.

Continuous monitoring, capacity building, and public participation remain essential for addressing these issues.

Impact on Society and Economy

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’s influence extends beyond sanitation:

• Health Benefits: WHO estimated that improved sanitation under the mission could avert hundreds of thousands of diarrhoeal deaths annually.
• Tourism and Urban Aesthetics: Clean environments boosted tourism and civic pride.
• Economic Productivity: Healthier citizens and reduced medical expenses contribute to higher productivity and rural development.
• Environmental Improvement: Reduction in open defecation reduced contamination of soil and groundwater.