Swachh Bharat Mission, the most unique and applauded mission started by worthy Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on October 2, 2014 at Rajghat in New Delhi to address the challenges of water, sanitation, and hygiene. This flagship programme of the Union government aims to realize the dream of a Clean India by October 02, 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. This is the most appreciable step towards the betterment of mankind and for the betterment of our surroundings, environment, and for our nation India. As most of the population in different states of India still use traditional methods of sanitation so this step is the best to make the India Open Defecation Free by awaring the people regarding the benefits of having House hold latrines with proper sanitary system so that they leave the traditional methods and bring a change in themselves which is going to benefit not only them but also help to keep the environment clean which is our basic necessity. According to a survey, over 26 million people in India defecate in the open. Around 60 percent of Indians do not have access to safe and private toilets. It is the most celebrated scheme of the recent time which aims to combat dirtiness and generate awareness among the citizens of India about the importance of sanitation and hygiene.
All the states of India facing this problem but from October 2014, Steps are continuously taken by concerned departments along with organisation namely Tata Trust who in collaboration with Ministry of Drinking water and sanitation hire the employees (Preraks) who work on their own to motivate the people and help them to understand the need of proper sanitation system and as well by awaring them that besides its health benefits it directly impacts the surroundings in which they live. Our first and utmost concern should be the clean and safe environment in which each and every living being lives. So this is the first step towards the betterment of our environment and it is the responsibility of every citizen to contribute in making our state open defecation free, thus achieving the goal of the said scheme free of diseases .
The mission aims to eliminate open defecation by constructing toilets for households, communities; abolishing manual scavenging; ushering in advanced municipal solid waste management practices; encouraging private sector involvement in the sanitation sector and last but not the least by bringing about attitudinal change with regard to sanitation. Among its other objectives are conversion of insanitary toilets to pour flush toilets, putting an end to the inhuman practice of manual scavenging. Though the government is putting forward its best efforts and J&K state has so far achieved the desired result on the front of cleanliness and sanitation but there is still need of behavioural change on the part of all citizens to fulfil the mission of a clean India in its true spirit. The main objective of this scheme was to spread awareness among the rural people and generation of demand for sanitary facilities. The scheme was implemented with emphasis on community-led initiatives. The government provided financial incentives to the families which were Below Poverty Line (BPL). The government assistance was also extended for construction of toilets in the primary schools, the Anganwadi centres and the Community Sanitary Complexes (CSC). The mission aims to eradicate open defecation by 2019. Prime Minister while launching the SBM, called for making the goal of Swachh Bharat as a mass movement, with people taking a pledge to neither litter, nor let others litter.
(The author a food technology expert presently engaged with centrally sponsored “Swachh Bharat” scheme as district coordinator in Kashmir is a freelancer. Her views are personal)
