“I am sure you have heard time and again that cleanliness is next to Godliness. Alas, things are often different when it comes to putting this into practice.
On 2nd October we are launching Swachh Bharat Mission, a massive mass movement that seeks to create a Clean India. Cleanliness was very close to Mahatma Gandhi’s heart. A clean India is the best tribute we can pay to Bapu when we celebrate his 150th birth anniversary in 2019. Mahatma Gandhi devoted his life so that India attains ‘Swarajya’. Now the time has come to devote ourselves towards ‘Swachchhata’ (cleanliness) of our motherland.
I urge every one of you to devote at least hundred hours every year, that is two hours every week towards cleanliness. We can’t let India remain unclean any longer. On 2nd October I myself will set out with a broom and contribute towards this pious task.
Today, I appeal to everyone, particularly political and religious leadership, mayors, sarpanchs and captains of industry to plan and wholeheartedly engage in the task of cleaning your homes, work places, villages, cities and surroundings. I request your active support and participation in our collective quest to make a Swachh Bharat.”
– Narendra Modi
The government of India has earmarked ₹ 134,000 crores for construction of about 11 crore 11 lakh toilets in the country within the next five years to make it an ODF country. The Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu has said that the government will also earmark more than ₹ 60,000 crore for this purpose. He also underlined that technology will be used on a large scale to convert waste into wealth in rural India in the forms of bio-fertilizer and different forms of energy.
While Swachh Bharat Mission is to be launched by the prime minister Narendra Modi on October 2, the Urban Development Ministry has already marked the week, starting from September 26 to October 2 as Panchayat Week for creation of awareness about sanitation and cleanliness. To create a mass movement, all the gram panchayats, panchayat samitis, zila parishad, religious, social and cultural organizations across the country have been asked to cooperate in this sacred mission.
From Nirmal Bharat to Swachh Bharat
Covering all households with IHHLs, cluster toilets, community toilets, the prime minister has given his approval for restructuring of the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan into Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). The structure will incorporate many more aspects in the new mission. The major points are: –
NBA will be restructured into the Swachh Bharat Mission with two sub-Missions – Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban). Budgetary provisions for the two sub-Missions will be provided separately in the demand for Grant of the Ministries of Drinking Water and Sanitation (for Gramin) and Ministry of Urban Development (for Urban). Necessary changes will be made from the RE Budget for 2014-15 onwards. If necessary funds may be provided by re-appropriation or from the Contingency Fund.
Enhance the Unit cost of the Individual Household Latrine (IHHL) from ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 so as to provide for water availability, including for storing, hand-washing and cleaning of toilets.
Central share for IHHLs to be ₹9,000 (75%) from Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). The State share to be ₹3,000 (25%). For North Eastern States, Jammu and Kashmir and Special category States, the Central share will be 10,800 and the State share ₹1,200 (90%:10%). Additional contributions from other sources will be permitted.
Provision to be included in the Indira Awas Yojana Programme for provision of functional toilets. Till such provision is made, existing arrangement of funding will be continued from the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).
Provision for Information, Education and Communication (IEC) will be at 8% of total project cost, with 3% to be utilised at the Central level and 5% at State level.
Provision for Administrative Cost will be 2% of the project cost. Sharing pattern will be 75:25 between Centre and State.
Discontinue the part funding from MGNREGA for the payment of incentives for the construction of IHHLs and pay the entire amount of Government of India share from the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).
All other components of the NBA that is Solid Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) and Community Sanitary Complexes (CSCs) will be retained. SLWM funding will be at 75:25 sharing pattern. For CSCs it will be 60:30:10 (Centre: State: Community). CSCs will be constructed only when the Gram Panchayat takes the responsibility of ownership and a sustainable operation and maintenance system is assured. CSCs will include public toilets at markets/bus stands/ peri-urban areas/census towns etc., wherever ownership and operation and maintenance is assured. CSCs/public toilets will also be considered under Public Private Partnership (PPP)/VGF mode.
Transfer of the responsibility of construction of all School toilets to the Department of School Education and Literacy and of Anganwadi toilets to the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
The strategy of implementation of the Sanitation Programme will focus on behaviour change, triggering of the population with regard to toilet construction, and their use. Triggering of communities for behaviour change and usage of toilets shall be given top priority to ensure increased demand, which will lead to use of assets created. Effective use of technology and media shall be done to communicate the message of the benefits of safe sanitation and hygiene.
Monitoring mechanism will be strengthened. Outputs (construction) and outcomes (usage) will be monitored. There should be comprehensive re-appraisal of the programme at end of the 12th Plan.
States shall prepare an implementation strategy (Annual Implementation Plan) in consultation with the Mission. States achieving their targets prior to scheduled dates shall be incentivized.
A menu of accredited technology options for toilets and SLWM projects shall be made available to the States by the Swachh Bharat Mission. The Mission will provide a list of minimal acceptable technologies for which assistance under this programme will be available. However, use of any superior technology will be permitted at additional cost to be borne by the beneficiary.
Big B as ambassador
Encashing the face and value of Amitabh Bachchan, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has introduced him as the ambassador of the campaign. This will help meet the objective to create awareness about hygiene and sanitation through interactive videos, flyer distributions, posters, hand washing sessions and street plays in the country.
Railways to Launch Massive Cleanliness Campaign under Swachh Bharat
Indian Railways will be launching a massive special cleanliness campaign on October 2 under the Swachh Bharat Mission. This will involve the entire railway fraternity – more than 13 lakh Railway men/women including officers and staff – either in the ‘Shramdaan’ relating to cleanliness activity or in spreading awareness on cleanliness. With detailed action plan and programmes the directions have already been issued to all Zonal Railways, Public Sector Undertakings and Production Units to request all officers and staff to participate in the ‘Shramdaan’ relating to cleanliness activity or in spreading awareness on c
leanliness.
There will be sustained ‘Public Awareness Campaign’ to promote “Swachh Bharat” Mission. More and more mechanized cleaning gadgets are being introduced and better types of cleaning agent are being used to achieve improved standards of cleanliness. Contracts are given for supply of machines like scrubbers, high pressure jet cleaners, mops, etc. Periodic contracts for rag picking and garbage disposal are awarded. More and more toilets are brought under the purview of ‘Pay & Use’ toilets, including deluxe toilets.
Instructions have been issued for monitoring cleanliness through CCTV cameras installed at major stations. About 50 major stations have been selected for outsourcing cleanliness to professional housekeeping/Facility Management Agencies. All newly manufactured coaches by the coach Production Units shall be compulsorily fitted with Bio-toilets before they are turned out by 2016-17. All existing in-service coaches running on Indian Railways shall be retrofitted with Bio-toilets by 2021-22. Already a total number of 13, 238 Bio-Toilets (cumulative) have been fitted and running on 4882 coaches. The Railways Minister, Sadanand Gowda said, “an award to recognise the best efforts made by the zonal railways at stations towards the cause of cleanliness shall be introduced. Such an award shall be called “Swachh Station” award and shall be given in each category of stations.”
