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(GIST OF YOJANA) SWACHH BHARAT MISSION: IMPACT ON RURAL SANITATION & SMART APPROACH FOR SUSTAINED SANITATION SUCCESS

(OCTOBER-2024)

SWACHH BHARAT MISSION: IMPACT ON RURAL SANITATION & SMART APPROACH FOR SUSTAINED SANITATION SUCCESS

Introduction

The success of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) lies not only in the infrastructure it creates but in the values it instills—making cleanliness a shared responsibility for every citizen. This cultural shift is crucial for ensuring that the gains made under SBM are sustained for generations to come. As India works towards the goal of Viksit Bharat @2047—a developed India by the centenary of its independence—the Swachh Bharat Mission will continue to play a critical role in improving public health, empowering women, protecting the environment, and driving economic growth.

Historical Perspective on Sanitation in India

Ancient Sanitation Practices:

Sanitation in India has deep historical roots, dating back to the Indus Valley Civilization, where cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro demonstrated advanced waste management systems. Despite these ancient achievements, modern India faces significant challenges in providing adequate sanitation to its rapidly growing population.

Modern Sanitation Challenges

Sanitation Coverage (2014): By 2014, sanitation coverage in India was only 39%, leaving over 550 million people, particularly in rural areas, without access to basic toilet facilities. Open defecation was rampant, especially among vulnerable groups.
Impact on Women: The lack of proper sanitation disproportionately affected women. They were forced to defecate in open fields, increasing their vulnerability to harassment and assault. Women were often referred to as “slaves of darkness,” deprived of basic rights such as privacy and safety.

India’s Journey Toward Improved Sanitation

Key Sanitation Programs Before SBM

Central Rural Sanitation Program (CRSP) 1986: Focused primarily on constructing toilets.
Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) 1999: Emphasized creating demand for sanitation through Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) activities.
Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) 2012: Expanded efforts by promoting community-led approaches to sanitation.

The Launch of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) By 2014, it became clear that India needed a more comprehensive and transformative approach to sanitation. The launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission on October 2, 2014, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked a paradigm shift in the country’s sanitation efforts.

Target: Make India Open Defecation Free (ODF) by 2019.

Focus Areas:
Behavior change
Community participation
Public financing
Political will

SBM successfully achieved its target on time, drastically transforming India’s sanitation landscape.

Why Swachh Bharat Mission?

Rationale for SBM

SBM stemmed from the recognition that sanitation is a multi-dimensional issue affecting public health, gender equity, environmental sustainability, and economic development. The mission sought to address these interconnected challenges holistically.

Health Impact: Inadequate sanitation is a major cause of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid, resulting in high morbidity and mortality, especially among children under five. Before SBM, poor sanitation caused around 300,000 child deaths annually (WHO). Recent studies show that SBM’s interventions have significantly reduced infant mortality, averting 60,000-70,000 child deaths annually.
Impact on Women and Children: Lack of access to toilets disproportionately affects women and girls. Women had to defecate in open fields, exposing them to safety risks. Additionally, school absenteeism among girls, especially during menstruation, was high due to inadequate sanitation. According to UNICEF, women felt significantly safer after gaining access to toilets in their homes.
Environmental Impact: Open defecation and improper waste management cause environmental degradation, contaminating water bodies, damaging ecosystems, and increasing health risks. As per a UNICEF report, SBM helped reduce groundwater contamination by 12.7 times in ODF villages.
Economic Impact: Poor sanitation costs India heavily, with a World Bank study estimating that India lost approximately 6.4% of its GDP in 2006 due to poor sanitation, amounting to over USD 38 billion annually. These losses stemmed from increased health costs, reduced productivity, and lower educational attainment. UNICEF estimated that a household in an ODF village saved Rs 50,000 annually due to reduced health expenses.

SBM’s Contribution to Sustainable

Alignment with SDGs

The Swachh Bharat Mission is closely aligned with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, which aims to ensure access to safe and sustainable water and sanitation for all by 2030.

India’s Achievement: India declared itself ODF in 2019, 11 years ahead of the global deadline, showing its strong commitment to national and global sustainability goals.
SDG Target 6.2: This target emphasizes ending open defecation and providing access to equitable sanitation for all. The construction of over 116 million household toilets under SBM directly contributed to achieving this goal.

Contributions to Other SDGs

SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being):

Improved sanitation has drastically reduced waterborne diseases and child mortality. SBM has helped avert 300,000 child deaths annually from diarrhea (WHO).

SDG 5 (Gender Equality): SBM has enhanced the dignity and safety of women. 93% of women in ODF villages reported feeling safer due to the availability of toilets at home (UNICEF), and school absenteeism among girls has significantly decreased.
India’s early achievement of SDG 6 highlights the power of strong political leadership, community mobilization, and innovative program design. SBM also serves as a model for other nations working toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Key Focus Areas of SBM

SBM Phase II (2020-25)

After the initial focus on making India ODF, SBM Phase II (2020-25) has expanded its scope to ensure sustainability and tackle broader sanitation challenges.

1. ODF Sustainability: Ensuring that ODF villages maintain their status through:

Regular monitoring and
Community engagement.
Swachhagrahis (local cleanliness champions) play a key role in maintaining progress.

2. Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM): The mission now emphasizes the management of both solid and liquid waste, promoting technologies such as waste-to-energy and encouraging villages to adopt practices like composting and plastic waste management.

3. Visual Cleanliness: SBM-G promotes the maintenance of clean and litter-free public spaces, proper drainage systems, and waste segregation at the household level, reinforcing the larger goal of Sampoorna Swachhata (complete cleanliness).

4. Community Engagement and Capacity Building: Local bodies such as Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) are being engaged to ensure the long-term success of SBM. Training programs are provided to build community skills in sanitation infrastructure management and behavior change.

SMART Approach for Sustained Sanitation

To ensure the continued success of SBM, a SMART strategy has been proposed, focusing on five key pillars:

Sustainability of Assets and Behavior:

Ensuring proper maintenance and daily use of sanitation infrastructure.
Climate-resilient sanitation systems must be promoted to address climate change impacts in vulnerable regions.

Making Women Central to Development:

Women played a pivotal role in SBM’s success, from constructing toilets to leading behavioral change campaigns.
Women-led SHGs should take on leadership roles in operating and maintaining sanitation assets.

Accelerating Private Sector Involvement:

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are crucial for addressing challenges like solid waste management, smart toilets, and waste-to-energy technologies. Private-sector expertise can complement government efforts.

Re-establishing Communication Protocols:

Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns were central to SBM’s success in Phase I and will be even more critical moving forward.
Behavior Change Communication (BCC) should be enhanced using digital tools, community engagement, and targeted messaging.
Training and Technological Interventions:
Training for communities, sanitation workers, and government officials in advanced sanitation practices.
Adoption of digital monitoring tools, smart waste management systems, and climate-adaptive sanitation infrastructure.

Way ahead:

As India moves towards the ODF Plus model by 2024-25, the Swachh Bharat Mission continues its journey toward Sampoorna Swachhata. Phase II focuses on transitioning from ODF to ODF Plus, with an emphasis on solid and liquid waste management, visual cleanliness, and sustained behavior change.

Conclusion:

The true success of SBM lies in the cultural shift it fosters, making cleanliness a shared responsibility for all citizens. By embracing innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability, India can ensure a cleaner, healthier, and more prosperous future for its citizens while contributing to the global development agenda.