Syllabus: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections
Background: Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)
- Swachh Bharat Mission, launched in 2014, aimed to provide toilets to every household.
- Over 12 crore household toilets were constructed in rural India within a decade.
- All villages declared Open Defecation Free (ODF), marking a major development milestone.
- Sanitation outcomes improved public health, dignity of women, and vulnerable groups.
Shift from Access to Waste Management
- Toilet construction revealed the next challenge: management of faecal waste.
- Rural households mainly use septic tanks and pits, requiring periodic desludging.
- Absence of safe collection, transport, and treatment risks reversing ODF gains.
- This transition defines SBM–Grameen Phase II, focused on ODF Plus.
ODF Plus and Current Progress
- ODF Plus emphasises solid and liquid waste management, behaviour change, and service chains.
- As of October 2025, over 5.68 lakh villages (97%) declared ODF Plus.
- Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) remains a critical gap, especially in peri-urban areas.
Urban–Rural Partnership Model: Maharashtra
- Maharashtra invested in 200+ faecal sludge treatment plants in urban areas.
- 41 sewage treatment plants enabled co-treatment of faecal sludge.
- Challenge lies in extending urban treatment infrastructure benefits to nearby villages.
Satara District Case Study
- Satara city’s treatment plant has 65 KLD capacity, previously underutilised.
- Four villages—Jakatwadi, Songaon, Kodoli, Degaon—linked to the city facility.
- Gram panchayats contract private operators for scheduled desludging every five years.
- Costs recovered through a sanitation tax, ensuring affordability and accountability.
- Formal agreements allow free treatment access, making the model mutually beneficial.
Standalone Rural FSM Model
- Not all villages can connect to urban facilities.
- Mayani village adopted scheduled desludging every five to seven years.
- Selected for a cluster-level FSM plant under SBM-G, serving around 80 villages.
- Demonstrates feasibility of pooled rural infrastructure.
Significance and Scalability
- Urban–rural linkages institutionalise safe and sustainable sanitation services.
- Models support long-term health protection, environmental safety, and dignity.
- Scalable frameworks can sustain sanitation gains across rural India for generations.
