Swachh Bharat Mission

September 20, 2026 1:58 PM

From toilets to behaviour change: How Swachh Bharat is transforming rural sanitation

India’s rural sanitation programme has moved beyond the construction of household toilets to a broader focus on sustaining sanitation practices, managing waste and encouraging communities to take ownership of cleanliness. When the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) began in 2014, rural sanitation coverage stood at 39 per cent. By 2019, the government said rural India had achieved 100 per cent sanitation coverage, with more than 10.28 crore toilets constructed between 2014 and 2019. Rural India was s...

July 23, 2026 10:48 AM

Nagpur transforms Bhandewadi dumpsite into modern waste processing hub under Swachh Bharat Mission

Nagpur has emerged as a model for scientific urban waste management after transforming the Bhandewadi legacy dumpsite into a modern integrated waste processing facility under the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban 2.0, the Centre said on Wednesday. The initiative forms part of the government's Lakshya Zero Dumpsite campaign, which aims to scientifically remediate legacy waste dumps across the country through bio-mining, advanced waste processing technologies and systematic landfill reclamation. Acc...

June 16, 2026 12:53 PM

How India’s ‘Ease of Living’ push has reshaped housing, sanitation, banking and connectivity over 12 years

Over the past 12 years, India's development strategy has increasingly focused on improving everyday living standards through a combination of welfare schemes, infrastructure expansion, financial inclusion and governance reforms. The changes span multiple sectors, including housing, drinking water, sanitation, electricity, banking, transport and digital governance, with programmes targeting both rural and urban populations. The scale of these interventions is reflected in the numbers. More than ...

June 10, 2026 1:10 PM

25 crore out of poverty, 15.8 crore homes with tap water: India’s welfare story in numbers

Over the past decade, India's welfare landscape has undergone a significant transformation, marked by an expansion of social protection programmes, improved access to basic services and greater use of technology in public service delivery. Government data indicate that nearly 25 crore people moved out of multidimensional poverty between 2013-14 and 2022-23, while access to housing, healthcare, sanitation, financial services and livelihood opportunities expanded across the country. Poverty R...

August 30, 2025 4:10 PM

Centre urges states to accelerate urban cleanliness drive under Swachh Bharat Mission

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has called on states and Union Territories to intensify efforts to transform dirty and neglected urban areas into clean, beautified spaces under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) 2.0. During a high-level virtual meeting chaired by Union Minister Manohar Lal, with Minister of State Tokhan Sahu and Secretary S. Katikithala in attendance, the ministry emphasized a time-bound approach to achieving visible cleanliness across urban India. Quotin...

July 18, 2025 12:15 PM

Amit Shah congratulates Ahmedabad for topping cleanest big cities list in Swachh Survekshan 2024-25

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday congratulated the people of Ahmedabad after the city was ranked the cleanest metropolis in the million-plus population category in the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25. In a post on X, Amit Shah said, "A moment of pride for Ahmedabadis as the city is ranked at the top among the cleanest big cities in India in Swachh Survekshan 2024-25. This honor stands as a testimony to the success of PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji's vision behind Swachhta Abhiyan, pursuing the pri...

June 9, 2025 2:57 PM

Sanitation revolution in 11 years of Modi govt: Over 12 crore toilets built

India’s sanitation landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation in the eleven years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, driven by the Swachh Bharat Mission. The mission aimed to eliminate open defecation, improve solid and liquid waste management, and uphold the dignity and health of citizens—particularly women and the rural poor. Under Phase-I, India achieved 100% sanitation coverage in rural areas by 2019, with over 10 crore Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs) constru...

March 28, 2025 4:32 PM

Union Minister Manohar Lal chairs consultative committee meeting on Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban 2.0

Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, chaired a meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on Thursday, focusing on the progress and future roadmap of the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0). The meeting saw participation from Minister of State for Housing & Urban Affairs, Tokhan Sahu, Secretary MoHUA Srinivas Kathikala, senior ministry officials, and Members of Parliament from both Rajya Sabha and L...

January 24, 2025 6:10 PM

India leads global WASH innovation discourse at World Economic Forum 2025

At the India Pavilion during the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025 in Davos, a high-profile discussion on “India’s WASH Innovation: Driving Global Impact in Climate and Water Sustainability” was held, spotlighting India’s transformative work in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and its significant role in global climate resilience and sustainable development. Union Cabinet Minister for Jal Shakti, C.R. Patil, delivered the keynote address, highlighting India's achievements through the...

September 16, 2024 3:24 PM

Swachh Bharat Mission: A game changer for public health

The recent release of the scientific report in the journal Nature on the Swachh Bharat Mission’s (SBM) impact on the reduction in infant and child mortality broadly coincides with the 10th anniversary of the programme. Announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day speech to the nation from the Red Fort on August 15, 2014, it was formally launched on October 2 of the same year. This was the first time in history that any head of government in the world was publicly co...