Context:
As a prelude to Swachh Bharat Diwas, the annual Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) fortnight was also organized by Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban and Gramin between 15th Sept to 2nd Oct 2023.
Relevance:
GS II: Government policies and Interventions
Dimensions of the Article:
- About Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U)
- Open Defecation Free (ODF) status
About Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U)
Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) is a national campaign launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to promote cleanliness, sanitation, and waste management in urban areas in India. Here are the key points:
Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 1.0:
- The first phase focused on achieving Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in urban areas by providing access to toilets and promoting behavioral change.
- It successfully achieved the target, and all urban areas in India were declared ODF.
Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 (2021-2026):
- SBM-U 2.0 is the continuation of the first phase, aiming to go beyond ODF and focus on ODF+ and ODF++ status, as well as making urban areas garbage-free.
- It emphasizes sustainable sanitation practices, waste management, and the promotion of a circular economy.
Achievements:
- Urban India has become Open Defecation Free, with all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) declared ODF.
- Many ULBs have achieved ODF+ and ODF++ status, ensuring functional and hygienic community and public toilets, as well as proper faecal sludge management.
- Waste processing has significantly increased, with 75% of waste being processed in 2023 compared to 17% in 2014.
- Door-to-door waste collection is practiced in 97% of wards, and source segregation of waste is prevalent in almost 90% of wards across all ULBs.
- The Garbage Free Cities (GFC)-Star rating protocol has been implemented, with the aim of having at least 1,000 3-star GFCs by October 2024.
- The budget for 2023-24 emphasizes the scientific management of dry and wet waste, reinforcing India’s commitment to building a circular economy.
Open Defecation Free (ODF) status
Open Defecation Free (ODF) status is a designation given to an area when there is no open defecation observed in that area. Here are the definitions of different ODF statuses:
- ODF: An area can be declared as ODF if, at any point of the day, there is no instance of open defecation, meaning no person is found defecating in the open.
- ODF+: This status is achieved when, at any point of the day, no person is found defecating or urinating in the open, and all community and public toilets in the area are functional, well-maintained, and accessible to the community.
- ODF++: This status is an advanced level of ODF+. To achieve ODF++ status, an area must already be ODF+ and demonstrate safe management and treatment of faecal sludge/septage and sewage. There should be no discharging or dumping of untreated faecal sludge and sewage into open drains, water bodies, or other areas.
