Introduction
In 2014, India under the able leadership of PM Modi embarked on a groundbreaking mission, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, or Clean India Mission. This ambitious national initiative aimed to revolutionize the country's cleanliness and hygiene standards through targeted strategies across various domains.
Launched on October 2, 2014, the campaign sought to eradicate open defecation, enhance solid waste management, and promote overall sanitation awareness.
Phases and Objectives
The mission unfolded in two distinct phases. The first phase, spanning until October 2019, focused on constructing millions of toilets to achieve an Open Defecation Free(ODF) India. It also targeted the elimination of manual scavenging and behavioral changes in sanitation practices. The second phase, from 2020–21 to 2024–25, aimed at sustaining the ODF status, improving waste management, and enhancing the lives of sanitation workers.
Achieving Sustainable Goals
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan made remarkable progress, surpassing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 6.2 target for open defecation-free status in 2019, well ahead of the scheduled deadline of December 31, 2030.
The campaign's success lay in its holistic approach, engaging millions across urban and rural areas to bring about a paradigm shift in sanitation practices.
Implementation and Impact
The campaign, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, mobilized millions of participants, emphasizing the importance of cleanliness at both individual and community levels. Swachhagrahis, appointed as "Ambassadors of Cleanliness," played a crucial role in promoting toilet construction at the grassroots level. It stands as India's most extensive cleanliness initiative to date, engaging three million government employees, students, and citizens across 4,043 cities, towns, and rural communities from every corner of the country.
Approach and Criticisms
While the campaign received accolades for its transformative impact, it also faced criticisms for coercive measures in promoting toilet usage. Despite substantial government funding, amounting to billions of dollars, and subsidies, resistance was observed in some rural areas where people were reluctant to adopt the provided toilets.
Funding and Outcomes
The Indian government allocated significant funds, approximately $5.8 billion, for toilet construction in villages, with an estimated total budget of $28 billion for rural and urban components. The monumental campaign marked India's largest cleanliness mission, symbolizing a comprehensive effort to transform sanitation practices and achieve a cleaner, healthier nation.
Eradicating Open Defecation and Ensuring Sanitation Access
At its core, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan aimed to eradicate open defecation, significantly impacting public health and sanitation nationwide. The urgent construction of toilets aimed to provide every citizen with access to hygienic facilities, particularly focusing on the dignity and privacy of women and girls.
Comprehensive Waste Management Solutions
The campaign embraced a comprehensive perspective by addressing waste management challenges. Initiatives included promoting waste segregation, recycling practices, and effective disposal mechanisms.
Public Awareness and Community Engagement
Public awareness and community engagement were central to the campaign's success. Extensive educational initiatives, rallies, and community engagements aimed to instill a sense of responsibility and ownership of cleanliness among citizens, fostering a cultural shift towards maintaining cleaner surroundings.
Benefits to the country
The initiative has been instrumental in providing substantial benefits to the people of the country, according to an international study. The research indicates that the mission has resulted in annual benefits of over Rs 53,000 (727 US dollars) per rural household. These benefits are attributed to a reduction in diarrhea cases and time savings associated with improved access to sanitation facilities.
The study, focused on the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (Clean India Mission-Rural), highlights that the economic gains from individual household expenditures over a decade are 1.7 times the initial cost. Moreover, the overall societal returns on the spending throughout the same period are calculated to be 4.3 times the initial cost.
Conducted between July 20 and August 11, 2017, the study encompassed 10,051 households in rural areas across 12 states. Notably, these states, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, and Assam, represented 90 percent of the observed open defecation cases nationwide during that year.
Campaigns
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan comprised various campaigns, such as the Open Defecation Free (ODF) Campaign, Waste Management Initiatives, Public Awareness and Community Engagement, Swachhagrahis and Village-Level Activities, Menstrual Health Management Awareness, Sustainable Phase 2 Objectives, UN Sustainable Development Goals Alignment, and Rural and Urban Components.
These campaigns collectively aimed at transforming sanitation practices, fostering a culture of cleanliness, and achieving a hygienic and healthier environment across India.
Swachh Bharat Mission 2
Initiated in 2020, Phase II aimed to sustain ODF statuses nationwide and enhance waste management in villages. Villages maintaining ODF status and implementing comprehensive waste management systems were termed "ODF Plus," with Telangana achieving a remarkable 100% ODF Plus rate by May 2023.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban)
The Urban Swachh India Movement targeted eliminating open defecation in urban areas and implementing comprehensive waste management in over 4,000 cities nationwide. The revised target of constructing 5.9 million Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs) by 2020 was successfully achieved.
Conclusion
On September 24, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honored with the 'Global Goalkeeper' Award by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in recognition of his leadership in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan stands as a monumental effort in India's quest for improved cleanliness, sanitation, and hygiene standards. Its multifaceted strategies, emphasis on community involvement, and government backing have substantially elevated the nation's sanitation landscape.
While commendable progress has been achieved, continual dedication and unwavering efforts are imperative to solidify the campaign's lasting impact on the nation's health, environment, and societal well-being. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan exemplifies a transformative journey towards a cleaner, healthier India.
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