Beyond toilets: How Swachh Bharat is turning cleanliness into a community habit

October 5, 2026 1:25 PM

Beyond toilets: How Swachh Bharat is turning cleanliness into a community habit

A household visit by a Swachhagrahi, a village discussion at a Ratri Chaupal, a school cleanliness activity and a complaint registered through the Swachhata App serve a common purpose: making sanitation part of everyday behaviour. Since its launch on October 2, 2014, the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) has placed behaviour change at the centre of its approach. Building toilets and waste management facilities created essential infrastructure, but sustaining their use required dialogue, participation...

From kitchen scraps to public parks: How India is turning waste into wealth

October 1, 2026 4:20 PM

From kitchen scraps to public parks: How India is turning waste into wealth

India’s approach to waste management is gradually moving beyond collection and disposal towards recovery, reuse and resource creation. From kitchen scraps turned into compost to invasive aquatic plants transformed into handicrafts, initiatives across the country are demonstrating how materials once considered waste can support livelihoods, improve public spaces and contribute to a circular economy. The shift builds on the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), launched in 2014 to promote cleanliness, b...

From waste to purpose: How Indian cities are rewriting the plastic story

September 28, 2026 4:17 PM

From waste to purpose: How Indian cities are rewriting the plastic story

India’s approach to plastic waste is changing, with cities and communities increasingly focusing not only on reducing the use of single-use plastic but also on reuse, collection, recycling and converting discarded plastic into useful products. A decade ago, plastic bags were a routine part of shopping in Indian markets. Today, initiatives across the country are encouraging consumers to carry reusable bags, segregate waste at source and ensure that collected plastic reaches recovery and recycl...