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 Lok Sabha.
The agenda of the meeting was to assess the accomplishments of SBM-U 2.0 and outline strategies for its continued success. Joint Secretary (SBM), MoHUA, Roopa Mishra, delivered a detailed presentation on the progress of the mission, according to the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs.
Lal praised the significant achievements of SBM-U, noting its transformative impact on urban sanitation across India. He emphasized that maintaining cleanliness is an ongoing process that requires consistent attention, innovation, and public involvement.
The Minister highlighted key outcomes of the Mission, such as improvements in public health, a reduction in child mortality rates, and better sanitation access for women. He stressed the importance of behavioural change in driving long-term success and called for the development of future-ready sanitation infrastructure.
Lal also urged the adoption of global best practices in urban sanitation and encouraged cities to foster healthy competition to enhance performance. He commended cities like Indore and Surat for setting benchmarks in urban cleanliness and community-driven initiatives, urging other cities to follow their example.
Sahu also addressed the meeting, underscoring the role of the Swachh Bharat Mission in improving child mortality rates and cleanliness standards across the nation. He added that the Mission has instilled a strong sense of civic responsibility among citizens toward maintaining clean surroundings.
