How Cleanliness Became a Mass Movement: Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin Drives Rural Transformation to ODF Plus Model Villages
Distilled Policy Brief
- Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G) successfully transitioned rural sanitation coverage from 39% in 2014 to 100% Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in 2019, constructing over 10.28 crore household toilets.
- SBM-G Phase II focuses on sustaining ODF status and implementing robust Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM), categorizing villages into 'Aspiring', 'Rising', and 'Model' stages based on their waste processing capabilities.
- As of September 2026, India has achieved 5.69 lakh ODF Plus villages (with 5.25 lakh reaching 'Model' status) and operationalized 1,314 GOBARdhan biogas plants across 582 districts to convert bio-waste into clean energy and organic manure.
🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points
Classification criteria for ODF Plus villages (Aspiring vs. Rising vs. Model) and the operational components of the GOBARdhan scheme under SBM-G Phase II.
⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages
Analyze how Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin Phase II transitions from basic infrastructure creation to sustainable behavioral change and decentralized waste-to-wealth models led by women Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to Phase II of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G), consider the following statements: 1. Under SBM-G Phase II, an 'Aspiring' village is defined as one that manages both solid and liquid waste simultaneously. 2. A 'Model' ODF Plus village manages both solid and liquid waste, maintains cleanliness, and displays ODF Plus messages. 3. The GOBARdhan initiative under SBM-G Phase II focuses on converting cattle dung, agricultural residue, and organic waste into biogas and organic manure. Which of the statements given above are correct?
- [A] 1 and 2 only
- [B] 2 and 3 only
- [C] 1 and 3 only
- [D] 1, 2 and 3
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect because under SBM-G Phase II, an 'Aspiring' village manages either solid waste or liquid waste, whereas villages managing both are categorized as 'Rising' villages. Statements 2 and 3 are correct: 'Model' villages meet both waste management criteria, maintain cleanliness, and display ODF Plus messages; GOBARdhan is a key SBM-G Phase II initiative that converts bio-waste and crop residue into clean energy and organic manure.
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.