The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan started on October 2nd, 2014 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been one of India’s most effective and well-known programs concerning sanitation. Starting as a national campaign encompassing rural as well as urban areas it aimed at fostering cleanliness which would in turn greatly improve public health plus environmental cleanliness throughout the nation.When he won the Gates Foundation ‘Global Goalkeeper’ award in New York on 25th September 2019, PM Narendra Modi’s leadership in this venture was acknowledged worldwide underscoring the global acclaim and significance of the initiative.
Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0
The Union Budget 2021 allocated Rs 1,41,678 crores to the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0 showing high determination to improve urban cleanliness and sanitation. There are various key elements underpinning this new phase designed to revolutionize urban sceneries:
One of the things emphasized early on is the setting up of sewage treatment plants, fecal sludge management, etc. in cities with less than 100,000 inhabitants. Its goal is to create healthier surroundings and maintain water sustainably
In addition, the goal is about sustainable sanitation practices, which are given priority in the construction of critical latrines, something that is necessary for improving community health status and guaranteeing respect for all people.
Equally, waste management stands out as a point of focus in an effort to simplify the process of waste disposal as well as one of enhancing recycling activities among people who live in the cities.
In addition, stressing the significance of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) activities is also important for the campaign. This aim towards facilitating a cleaner society emphasizes the need to create awareness and educate its members.
Finally, efforts to establish possibilities contribute significantly to equipping local governments and societies with the necessary competencies and information that are essential for the adoption and maintenance of sanitation projects.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0 is therefore an all-encompassing drive towards making towns all over India that are not only clean but also healthier and more sustainable places for those dwelling within them; thus enabling posterity to bequeath unto its successors environments conducive to good hygiene and general wellness.
Achievements expected out of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0
- Several ambitious feats and aims are expected under the SBM-Urban 2.0 framework:
- Open Defecation Free (ODF+) certification is expected of all statutory towns, reflecting the level of Open Defecation Free status and adherence to basic sanitation standards.
- The target population for ODF++ certification in the statutory towns is given as those with less than one lakh inhabitants, implying an improvement in both sanitation as well as support infrastructure.
- By this token, it is expected that at least fifty percent of statutory towns falling into such categories will be awarded the Water+ certificate pointing at better water governance and availability.
- Every statutory town should be able to obtain a minimum of 3-star status based on the Star Rating Protocol for Garbage Free cities by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, which recognizes effective solid waste management policies.
- Consequently, all historical dumpsites will undergo comprehensive bio-remediation programs devoted to ecological recovery and viable ways to dispose of refuse.
- SBM-Urban 2.0’s goals mirror its dedication to promoting urban hygiene and sanitation and environmental sustainability in India, in a bid to create healthier and more habitable towns.
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Objective
The main purpose of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is to raise people’s consciousness regarding the fact that cleanliness plays a critical role in enhancing public health status and overall environmental cleanliness.
At the heart of its idea, is the supply of crucial sanitation facilities including toilets, efficient means of solid and liquid waste disposal, cleanliness drives in the rural areas, taking care to ensure safe clean drinking water accessibility for all. The primary goal is to improve peoples’ hygienic standards existence through clean living environments countrywide.
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Action Plan
The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has come up with a roadmap for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. This program hopes that by 2019 there will be better sanitation. One of the main things they want is to provide enough clean water systems that would help their citizen since it can lead to the effective functioning of the same bodies without any breakdown caused by poor hygiene habits like defecating openly in every corner of India which is meant for either residential places or ventures.
Action plan highlights
- By the year 2019, it is necessary to increase the growth rate of toilet building by at least 10% from 3%.
- The number of lavatories built every day should be increased in such a way that there are 14000 instead of 48000 toilets.
- The only solution left for citizens of the nation is launching national and state media campaigns by use of videos, mobile phones, and local programs for enlightenment purposes.
- Various exercises will engage students in disseminating knowledge about water, hygiene, and sanitation.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 1.0
The primary goal of the urban Swachh Bharat Mission is to ensure proper sanitation and access to household toilets in 4041 statutory towns with a total population reaching 377 million.
This program costs around 62,009 crore rupees assuming it takes five years. The Central Government is supposed to cover 14,623 crores from this total sum.
This mission hopes to access around 1.04 crore households, create 2.5 lakh community toilet seats; deposit 2.6 lakh public toilet seats. Another target is to introduce extensive solid waste management systems in each town.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) is designed with six essential elements: Private toilets, Community toilets, Public toilets, Municipal solid waste management Information, education, communication (IEC), and public awareness Building capacity These elements serve as cornerstones for sanitation infrastructure improvement, cleanliness awareness promotion, and the creation of durable waste management schemes in urban settings.
Several key goals will be achieved by the Urban Clean India mission, including the elimination of open defecation, converting unsanitary toilets to flush toilets, eradicating manual scavenging, and improving solid waste management practices. One of the most crucial components of this initiative is the change in people’s attitude towards better sanitary practices. This will involve public awareness campaigns on the detrimental effects of open defecation and environmental pollution produced by littering.
Urban administrations have been given more powers and made more effective in realizing these goals. They are charged with coming up with, putting into practice, and administratively controlling mechanisms that foster private sector participation in terms of both finance and operation. This strategy is intended to establish a conducive atmosphere for proper hygiene systems as well as habits that can be sustained in cities.
