Swachh Bharat - National Sanitation and Cleanliness Mission

Swachh Bharat (Clean India) Mission is a comprehensive national sanitation and cleanliness initiative launched in 2014 to improve public health and environmental hygiene. The mission operates through two components: Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) for rural areas and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) for cities and towns. The rural component focuses on construction of individual household toilets (IHHLs) in below-poverty-line households with a government subsidy of Rs. 12,000 per toilet (Rs. 9,000 for above-poverty-line households). Application for toilet construction is done at the gram panchayat level; beneficiaries are identified from government poverty registers. The subsidy is released in installments based on completion stages, monitored through photographs and field verification. The urban component focuses on solid waste management, construction of public toilets, and community facilities. Waste segregation at source is promoted; separate dry waste (recyclable) and wet waste (organic) collection systems are established. Faecal sludge management and wastewater treatment infrastructure is developed. The mission emphasizes behavioral change: awareness campaigns against open defecation, promotion of handwashing practices, and women's access to safe sanitation. Schools and anganwadis receive support for improving sanitation infrastructure. Gram panchayats and municipal bodies coordinate implementation and monitor compliance. The mission has achieved over 95% coverage of household toilets; current focus is on sustainability, proper operation and maintenance of facilities, and behavioral practices. A critical pitfall: many beneficiaries receive subsidies but neglect proper toilet maintenance; unsanitary conditions persist despite infrastructure availability. Additionally, waste management infrastructure in rural areas remains underdeveloped despite improvements.