Swachh Bharat (Clean India) Mission

Swachh Bharat (meaning "Clean India") is a nationwide cleanliness and sanitation campaign launched by the Government of India on 2nd October 2014 - Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary. "Swachh Bharat" is the correct spelling; "Swatch Bharath" is a phonetic variation of the same name.

Key Facts

Full Name: Swachh Bharat Abhiyan / Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)
Launched by: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajpath, New Delhi
Goal: To fulfil Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a clean and hygienic India
Target: Make India Open Defecation Free (ODF) and improve solid waste management

Two Main Components

Component	Focus
SBM-Grameen (Rural)	Build toilets in rural households, achieve ODF villages
SBM-Urban	Clean urban areas, manage solid/liquid waste in cities

Key Achievements (as of 2024 - 10 Years)

Over 100 million toilets built across rural India
Thousands of villages, districts, and states declared ODF (Open Defecation Free)
Significant reduction in open defecation, improving public health outcomes
UNICEF noted the decade of SBM as "transformational for the people of India"

Phase 2 (SBM 2.0)

Launched in 2021, the second phase focuses on:

ODF Plus status - sustaining open defecation-free outcomes
Solid and liquid waste management
Faecal sludge management
Achieving "cleanliness" beyond just building toilets

The mission is considered one of the largest sanitation drives in human history, engaging millions of citizens, NGOs, schools, and government bodies under the hashtag #MyCleanIndia.

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