
Sohan Rajwal
February 18, 2025 at 02:29 AM
The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is a nationwide campaign initiated by the Government of India to clean up the streets, roads, and infrastructure of India's cities, towns, and rural areas. The mission was launched on October 2, 2014, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
*Objectives:*
1. *Eliminate Open Defecation*: Construct toilets and improve sanitation facilities to eliminate open defecation.
2. *Improve Solid Waste Management*: Ensure proper collection, segregation, and disposal of solid waste.
3. *Promote Behavioral Change*: Educate and raise awareness among citizens to adopt healthy sanitation and hygiene practices.
*Key Components:*
1. *Construction of Toilets*: Build individual household toilets, community toilets, and public toilets.
2. *Waste Management*: Implement door-to-door waste collection, segregation, and disposal.
3. *Information, Education, and Communication (IEC)*: Conduct awareness campaigns, rallies, and events to promote behavioral change.
4. *Capacity Building*: Train and capacity-build stakeholders, including government officials, sanitation workers, and community leaders.
*Achievements:*
1. *Over 10 crore toilets constructed*: As of 2022, over 10 crore toilets have been constructed across the country.
2. *Open defecation reduced*: The number of people practicing open defecation has significantly reduced.
3. *Improved sanitation coverage*: Sanitation coverage has increased from 38% in 2014 to over 90% in 2022.
*Challenges and Future Plans:*
1. *Sustainability*: Ensuring the sustainability of constructed toilets and waste management systems.
2. *Behavioral Change*: Promoting long-term behavioral change among citizens to maintain cleanliness and hygiene.
3. *Waste-to-Wealth*: Exploring opportunities to convert waste into wealth, such as through composting and biogas production.
The Swachh Bharat Mission has made significant progress in improving sanitation and hygiene across India. However, there is still much work to be done to achieve the mission's objectives and ensure a clean and healthy environment for all citizens.