Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban and Gramin)
Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Housing and Sanitation Schemes · Topic 9.2
The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is India's national sanitation mission, launched on 2 October 2014 on Gandhi Jayanti in two parts: SBM-Gramin under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, for rural areas, and SBM-Urban under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The first phase aimed at making India open defecation free by 2 October 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, and the rural arm was declared open defecation free on that date. The second phase, SBM-Grameen Phase II and SBM-Urban 2.0, moves to ODF Plus villages and Garbage Free Cities. SBM-Urban 2.0 had an outlay of Rs 1,41,600 crore for 2021 to 2026.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Housing and Sanitation Schemes
At a Glance
- Launched 2 October 2014
- Rural arm Jal Shakti (SBM-G)
- Urban arm Housing and Urban Affairs (SBM-U)
- Phase one goal Open defecation free by 2 October 2019
- Phase two ODF Plus and Garbage Free Cities
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Housing and Sanitation Schemes
Where Does It Fit?
This is the second topic of the macro on housing and sanitation. It combines the rural and urban arms into one national view, and pairs naturally with the housing page because toilets are part of a PMAY house. Previous topic: Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Urban and Gramin). Next topic: Jal Jeevan Mission (Har Ghar Jal).
What Are the Two Phases of the Mission?
| Phase | Key features |
|---|---|
| Phase one, 2014 to 2019 | Build household toilets, community toilets and fix behaviour change. SBM-Gramin built over 10 crore toilets and declared all villages open defecation free on 2 October 2019 |
| SBM-Gramin Phase II | Runs from 2020-21 with an outlay of about Rs 1.40 lakh crore, to sustain open defecation free status and take villages to ODF Plus, which means solid and liquid waste management. A model ODF Plus village has more robust systems |
| SBM-Urban 2.0 | Approved in October 2021 for five years with an outlay of Rs 1,41,600 crore, for Garbage Free Cities and used water management |
| ODF levels in cities | ODF, ODF+ for functional and clean toilets, ODF++ for safe faecal sludge management, and Water+ for treated used water reuse |
| Garbage Free Cities | Rated through the Star Rating Protocol, with a seven-star scale, and cities are certified for garbage-free status |
| Waste goals | Source segregation, 100 per cent waste processing, legacy dump site remediation and a bar on single-use plastic |
| Funding | SBM-Urban 2.0 gives central assistance to States and urban local bodies, and SBM-Gramin uses a Centre-State ratio of 60:40, with 90:10 for the North East and Himalayan States |
What Is the Current Status?
- Rural ODF Plus: Reports in 2026 said that more than five lakh villages had declared themselves ODF Plus, and a secondary source gave about 5.69 lakh villages in September 2026. Take the exact count from the Jal Shakti dashboard
- Urban ratings: A May 2026 note reported about 4,372 cities declared ODF, 3,929 ODF+, 1,449 ODF++ and 14 Water+. Third-party validation has been uneven
- Timeline: SBM-Urban 2.0 was approved up to 2025-26, and I could not find a notified extension or a successor. Check the Ministry for the current phase
- Swachh Survekshan: The annual cleanliness survey of urban local bodies by the Ministry ranks cities, and Indore has topped the cleanest city ranking for several years in a row
- Gobardhan: The GOBARdhan scheme in villages converts cattle dung and farm waste into biogas and compost
- Sanitation policy: Compare with the older National Urban Sanitation Policy, as in National Urban Sanitation Policy
What Else Should You Remember?
- Gandhi link: The mission uses Gandhi’s idea of cleanliness and the date of 2 October
- Behaviour change: Information, education and communication campaigns, such as Darwaza Band and the Swachhata Hi Seva fortnight, aim at toilet use and not just toilet building
- Health: Better sanitation is linked to lower diarrhoea and stunting, as shown in several studies, though the effect varies by region
- Independent checks: The National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey verifies toilet access and use in villages
- Sanitation workers: The NAMASTE scheme aims at the safety of sanitation workers and the end of manual cleaning of sewers
- Law: The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 bars manual scavenging
- Plastic: A ban on identified single-use plastic items came into force on 1 July 2022
- Used water: Cities with more than one lakh population are urged to treat used water and reuse it, which links the mission to AMRUT 2.0 and water security
- Concerns: Toilets built but not used, lack of water, weak faecal sludge systems, dump sites and waste pickers left out
- Way forward: Focus on use and not on construction, safe septage, and dignity for sanitation workers
- Exam trap: ODF is not the same as ODF Plus, and the declaration of rural ODF in 2019 does not mean that cities are garbage free
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Launch and date: 2 October 2014, with ODF target of 2 October 2019
- Ministries: Jal Shakti for rural and Housing and Urban Affairs for urban
- Levels: ODF, ODF+, ODF++ and Water+
- Phase two aims: ODF Plus villages and Garbage Free Cities
- Common errors: Mixing ODF with ODF Plus or giving the wrong ministry
As an analytical point, the mission has moved from building toilets to managing waste. Sustained use, safe disposal of faecal sludge and the dignity and safety of sanitation workers are now the main tests of success.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Basics Date, ministries and goals
- Levels ODF to Water+
- Status Phase two
What Came Next?
The next topic covers piped drinking water for rural households, which completes the basic services picture. Next topic: Jal Jeevan Mission (Har Ghar Jal).
Key People and Terms
- ODF Open defecation free
- ODF Plus ODF with waste management
- Garbage Free City Star-rated clean city
- FSM Faecal sludge management
- Water+ Treated used water reuse
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Launched: 2 October 2014.
- Rural ODF declared: 2 October 2019.
- SBM-U 2.0 outlay: Rs 1,41,600 crore.
- Levels: ODF, ODF+, ODF++, Water+.
- Rural ministry: Jal Shakti.
Do Not Confuse With
- ODF and ODF Plus No open defecation versus also managing solid and liquid waste
- Swachh Bharat Mission and Swachh Survekshan The mission versus its annual ranking survey
- SBM-Gramin and SBM-Urban Two arms under two ministries
Memory Hook
First toilets, then waste: ODF in 2019, ODF Plus and Garbage Free Cities next.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about the effects and sustainability of the sanitation drive. These points give a balanced frame.
- Achievements Near-universal toilet access and behaviour change
- Gaps Usage, water, faecal sludge and worker safety
- Way forward Sustain use, treat waste and protect sanitation workers
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Evaluate the achievements of the Swachh Bharat Mission and discuss the challenges of moving from open defecation free status to Garbage Free Cities.”
How to Answer
- Introduce Mission, date and phases.
- Achievements Toilets and ODF.
- Challenges Waste, sludge and use.
- Way Sustained use and dignity.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Swachh Bharat Mission?
The Swachh Bharat Mission is the national sanitation mission launched on 2 October 2014. SBM-Gramin, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, serves rural areas, and SBM-Urban, under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, serves cities. Its first goal was an open defecation free India by 2 October 2019.
What is the difference between ODF and ODF Plus?
ODF means that no one defecates in the open and every household has toilet access. ODF Plus adds solid and liquid waste management, with systems such as segregation, composting, grey water treatment and clean public spaces. A model ODF Plus village has all these systems in place and checked.
What is SBM-Urban 2.0?
SBM-Urban 2.0 was approved in October 2021 with an outlay of Rs 1,41,600 crore for five years. It aims at Garbage Free Cities, source segregation, full waste processing, dump site remediation and used water management, and rates cities through a Star Rating Protocol with ODF, ODF+, ODF++ and Water+ levels.
Which ministry runs the Swachh Bharat Mission?
Two ministries run it. The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation in the Ministry of Jal Shakti runs SBM-Gramin for villages, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs runs SBM-Urban for cities. Both work through States, urban local bodies and gram panchayats.
What is the latest status of the Swachh Bharat Mission?
Rural India was declared open defecation free on 2 October 2019, and in 2026 reports said over five lakh villages were ODF Plus. SBM-Urban 2.0 was approved up to 2025-26, and no extension was found at the last check, so confirm the current phase with the ministries.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on 2 October 2014.
It was launched on Gandhi Jayanti.
2 SBM-Gramin is run by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
It is run by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
3 ODF++ relates to safe faecal sludge management.
Water+ relates to treated used water.
4 India was declared rural ODF on 2 October 2019.
This marked 150 years of Gandhi.
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