Swachh Bharat Mission: A Milestone in Cleanliness with Continuing Challenges

Introduction

Launched on October 2, 2014, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is one of the most ambitious cleanliness drives in India’s history. The mission aimed to eliminate open defecation, promote sanitation, and bring about behavioral change in the use of toilets by October 2, 2019, to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The Swachh Bharat Mission is divided into two sub-missions: Swachh Bharat Mission – Gramin (SBM-G), which focuses on rural areas, and Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U), which targets urban centers.

The mission represents not only a government initiative but a mass movement intended to achieve a cleaner and healthier India. By targeting improved sanitation and hygiene practices, SBM sought to create better living standards, address public health concerns, and enhance the nation’s overall quality of life. While the mission has seen substantial achievements, several challenges remain that must be tackled for the initiative to achieve long-term sustainability.

The Genesis and Objectives of Swachh Bharat Mission

The roots of the Swachh Bharat Mission lie in the long-standing issue of poor sanitation in India. For decades, a significant portion of India’s population lacked access to basic sanitation facilities. According to the Census of 2011, nearly 60% of India’s rural population practiced open defecation. The poor state of sanitation led to serious public health issues, including diseases like diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid. The SBM was launched to address these chronic issues and make India a cleaner, open defecation-free (ODF) nation.

Key Objectives of the Mission:

1. Elimination of Open Defecation: The mission primarily focused on ensuring that every household in India had access to a functional toilet, eradicating open defecation.
2. Solid Waste Management: Efficient management of waste, particularly in urban areas, was another core objective of SBM.
3. Behavioral Change: Promoting sanitation as a matter of personal and community hygiene, leading to a behavioral shift in using toilets.
4. Public Awareness: Increasing awareness about hygiene and sanitation through mass campaigns and community involvement.
5. Sustainability of Sanitation Practices: Ensuring that sanitation practices become a permanent part of the public consciousness.

Achievements of Swachh Bharat Mission

1. Open Defecation-Free (ODF) Status

One of the most significant achievements of SBM has been the declaration of India as an open defecation-free country. By October 2019, all Indian states declared themselves ODF. This was achieved by constructing over 110 million toilets across rural and urban areas, a monumental feat considering India’s large population and the scale of the problem.

The declaration of ODF status has had multiple benefits, including:

• Improved Public Health: With reduced open defecation, there has been a noticeable decline in waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and cholera, particularly in rural areas.
• Women’s Safety and Dignity: Access to toilets has improved the safety, dignity, and privacy of women and girls, who previously faced the indignity and danger of practicing open defecation in isolated places.
• Behavioral Change: The SBM also emphasized behavioral change, urging people to consistently use toilets. Campaigns like “Darwaza Band” focused on reinforcing the use of toilets after construction, ensuring lasting change in toilet usage habits.

2. Public Awareness Campaigns

The Swachh Bharat Mission has succeeded in making cleanliness and sanitation a national priority. Through high-profile campaigns involving celebrities, social influencers, and community leaders, the SBM managed to reach a broad audience. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan leveraged various forms of media, including television, radio, social media, and street plays, to promote the importance of sanitation.

“Swachhata Pakhwada,” a fortnightly cleanliness drive, was another effective campaign under the mission, where ministries and departments took turns leading cleanliness activities. Schools, colleges, and local bodies were actively engaged in awareness campaigns, leading to increased public participation in cleanliness efforts.

3. Solid Waste Management Initiatives

In urban areas, the SBM placed a strong emphasis on solid waste management. Cities across India adopted waste segregation at the source, and municipal bodies implemented door-to-door waste collection in many urban centers. The government encouraged waste-to-energy plants, composting, and other waste-processing technologies to reduce landfill use.

The Swachh Survekshan program, an annual cleanliness survey conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, has been a crucial aspect of solid waste management. It has created healthy competition among cities to improve their cleanliness rankings. Indore, for instance, has consistently topped the rankings as the cleanest city in India for several years, reflecting the city’s commitment to waste management and cleanliness.

4. Partnership with Corporates and NGOs

The Swachh Bharat Mission encouraged Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions from the private sector and partnerships with non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Corporations played a crucial role in constructing toilets, providing sanitation infrastructure, and spreading awareness about cleanliness. Several corporate houses adopted villages and urban areas to provide sanitation solutions, contributing significantly to the mission’s objectives.

5. Global Recognition

SBM has received international recognition as one of the largest cleanliness drives globally. International organizations like UNICEF and WHO have lauded India’s efforts to address sanitation challenges, recognizing that improved sanitation has far-reaching effects on public health, child development, and gender equity.

Challenges in the Swachh Bharat Mission

Despite its significant achievements, the Swachh Bharat Mission has faced several challenges that need to be addressed for the mission’s long-term success and sustainability.

1. Sustainability of ODF Status

While India has been declared open defecation-free, there is a lingering question about the sustainability of this status. In some areas, newly constructed toilets have fallen into disrepair, and there have been reports of people reverting to open defecation due to poor maintenance and inadequate water supply.

For sustainable success, continuous monitoring and maintenance of sanitation infrastructure are required. Furthermore, the post-ODF phase, which focuses on the safe disposal of faecal sludge, remains a critical challenge in rural areas, where sewage treatment facilities are often absent.

2. Behavioral Change and Social Acceptance

While the construction of toilets is a quantifiable success, changing mindsets and entrenched social norms around sanitation is more complex. In rural areas, where open defecation was a centuries-old practice, convincing people to consistently use toilets remains a challenge. In some regions, people still view open defecation as a more natural option or a daily social routine.

Despite widespread awareness campaigns, the mission has not fully succeeded in altering deep-rooted beliefs, especially in more remote and marginalized communities. There is a need for continued education and reinforcement to ensure that toilet usage becomes a permanent practice.

3. Solid Waste Management Issues

Solid waste management, especially in large urban centers, remains a major challenge. While the mission encouraged waste segregation, the infrastructure for waste processing and disposal is still underdeveloped in many cities. Landfills continue to overflow, and many waste-processing plants operate below capacity or remain non-functional.

India’s burgeoning population and rapid urbanization have exacerbated the waste problem, and without adequate infrastructure and sustainable practices, solid waste management may become a looming environmental disaster. Furthermore, the informal sector of waste pickers, who are crucial to recycling in many cities, is often ignored in formal waste management policies.

4. Financing and Resource Allocation

The implementation of SBM has faced financing challenges, especially in terms of long-term maintenance of sanitation facilities. While the central government provided substantial funds for toilet construction and waste management, resource allocation for sustaining these facilities is still lacking. Many local bodies, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas, struggle with insufficient funds for maintaining newly constructed toilets and waste management systems.

5. Quality of Construction

In many cases, the rush to meet targets led to compromised quality in toilet construction. Reports of poorly built toilets, lack of water supply, and inadequate drainage have surfaced, particularly in rural areas. Ensuring that toilets are not only constructed but are functional, accessible, and durable is essential for the mission’s success.

The Way Forward for Swachh Bharat Mission

The Swachh Bharat Mission, while transformative, is only a stepping stone in India’s journey towards comprehensive sanitation and hygiene. To address the challenges and build upon its successes, a multi-pronged strategy is essential.

1. Sustaining ODF Status

India must now focus on ensuring that the ODF status is maintained. This requires regular monitoring, timely maintenance of sanitation infrastructure, and access to water in all areas. Post-ODF activities, such as faecal sludge management (FSM) and improved sanitation facilities in public spaces, must become a priority.

2. Strengthening Solid Waste Management

Improved solid waste management practices, including waste segregation, recycling, and waste-to-energy projects, are necessary to ensure urban cleanliness. Municipal bodies must be better equipped with infrastructure, funds, and training to manage increasing waste volumes efficiently.

3. Promoting Behavior Change

Continuous education campaigns are crucial to ensure the behavior change achieved under SBM is sustained. Schools, local communities, and NGOs must collaborate to promote long-term toilet usage and hygiene practices.

4. Private Sector Participation

Involving the private sector in waste management, sanitation infrastructure maintenance, and innovation in toilet technologies will be essential for the mission’s sustainability. CSR initiatives and PPP models can provide additional funding and resources for the post-ODF phase.

5. Improved Monitoring and Accountability

The establishment of robust monitoring mechanisms to ensure transparency, accountability, and the maintenance of facilities is critical. Technology-enabled solutions such as geo-tagging of toilets and real-time tracking of waste management systems can enhance efficiency and help ensure long-term success.

Conclusion

The Swachh Bharat Mission is a remarkable initiative that has changed the landscape of sanitation and hygiene in India. While the achievements are significant, with millions of toilets constructed and India declared ODF, several challenges persist, including sustaining toilet use, improving waste management, and maintaining sanitation infrastructure. To ensure that SBM’s legacy is not just a short-term accomplishment but a long-lasting transformation, continued efforts from the government, private sector, and civil society are essential. The journey toward a truly clean and healthy India is ongoing, and Swachh Bharat Mission has laid the foundation for this ambitious endeavor.