Launched on Gandhi Jayanti in 2014, Swachh Bharat Mission has become a call for cleaner and healthier Bharat. The iconic melody, “Swachh Bharat Ka Irada, Irada Kar Liya Humne, Desh Se Apne Ye Wada, Ye Wada Kar Liya Humne,” has become a part and parcel of our lives. Since its inception, its been around 10 years now and although its journey wasn’t a smooth ride but it has come a long way.
Let’s take a look at some achievements of Swachh Bharat Mission as it completes 10 years.
Promise of Dignity & Hygiene Kept-
- In 2004-05, only 45% of households had access to toilets. This figure increased to 61.1% in 2015-16 and reached 82.5% in 2019-21.
- So far 11.68 crore plus household toilets have been constructed.
- 5.54 lakh+ villages achieved ODF Plus.
- Since its inception, the number of people practising open defecation in rural areas has fallen from 550 million to 320 million.
- 4.17 lakh toilets have been constructed for girls in schools in just 1 year upto 2015.
- 93% women feel safer from assault for they do not have to go out in the open to defecate. Earlier in 2014 only 12% of women felt safe using public facilities.
- 91% women are able to save up to one hour of their day.
Transforming Public Health-
- SBM Averted 60,000-70,000 Infant Deaths Annually.
- Resulting in around 7 Lakh Infant Lives being saved.
- Then for every 10% point increase in district toilet access: The Infant Mortality Rate reduces by 0.9 points and U5MR reduces by 1.1 point.
- Overall, there has been 5.3 point drop in IMR and 6.8 point reduction in the under 5 mortality rate (U5MR).
- The maternal mortality ratio per lakh live births has also dropped from 130 in 2014 to 97 in 2020.
- According to WHO, the mission helped avoid 3 lakh diarrheal deaths between 2014-2019.
Big savings on health, Wealth, And Time-
- According to a UNICEF Report– The SBM has helped in averting Medical Costs to a great extent. As per its report, Households save an average of Rs. 8,024 annually.
- It has resulted in time savings worth Rs. 24,646 annually as less time is lost due to sickness.
- Value of saved lives- Rs 17,622 due to lower mortality rates.
- Overall, saving 5.2% of GDP a year.
- According to the UNICEF report, better sanitation facilities have helped increase property values by an average of Rs. 18,991 per household.
Waste Management And Circular Economy-
- The Swachh Bharat Mission is not just cleaning India but is also creating a circular economy by recycling and adopting scientific waste management.
- There has been a 4 times growth in Waste Treatment from 14% in 2018 to 78% in 2021.
- Around, 4.95 Lakh villages have adopted liquid waste management system and 3.92 Lakh villages have solid waste management system.
- To promote sustainability, PM Modi had worn a Sadri jacket, made from recycled clothes and plastic bottles on a few occasions.
- There are around 1,337 plus biogas plants nationwide. Out of which 870 already operational under the GOBAR-Dhan initiative.
- India is now home to Asia’s largest municipal solid waste-based Bio-CNG plant that is the GOBAR-dhan plant in Indore.
- Rs. 10,000 crore investment made for 500 new waste-to-wealth plants.
- Then Government had notified E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 to promote scientific waste management of E-waste in India. As a result of which there has been an incredible increase of 22.59 times in E-waste recycling. The recycling has increased from 23,330 tonnes in 2016-17 to 52,7131 tonnes in 2021-22.
- As a consequence of which India’s Circular Economy has attracted $1.8 billion in investments from 2016-2021.
- Apart from creating a healthier and cleaner India. The Swachh Bharat Mission has also helped create employment opportunities. There are around 5000 Swachchta Startups registered with DPIIT across 28 states & UTS. Interestingly, 54% of them are from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Furthermore, it has helped create around 13.1 million sanitation related jobs.
Last but not the least, the Mission’s most important achievement has been its ability to bring about a behavioral shift in people’s attitudes about sanitation. The continued and sustained endeavours including campaigns, investments and involvement of public figures has made this a people’s movement. It has been successful in making cleanliness a national priority and in fostering a sense of responsibility among the citizens.