Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II
Context – From ‘Toilet Construction’ to ‘Total Cleanliness’
The first phase of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM-Grameen) was revolutionary—it mobilized rural India to construct over 10 crore toilets, leading to 100% ODF (Open Defecation Free) declarations by 2nd October 2019, Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary.
But building toilets is only the starting point. The challenge now is:
Can we ensure that these toilets are actually used, maintained, and complemented with clean surroundings?
SBM Phase-II answers that with a shift from infrastructure creation to sustainable sanitation behaviours.
🔄 From ODF to ODF Plus (Aspiring → Rising → Model) — a stepwise escalation of rural sanitation standards.
Scheme Overview – The Basics You Must Remember
| Feature | Description |
| 📜 Type | Centrally Sponsored Scheme |
| 🗓️ Duration | 2020–21 to 2026–27 (extended) |
| 🎯 Purpose | To make all villages ODF Plus |
| 🔍 Focus | Behaviour change, waste management, and toilet usage for all |
Core Objectives – The Three Pillars of SBM (G) Phase II
- ✅ Reinforce ODF Behaviours – No one should relapse to open defecation.
- ♻️ Solid and Liquid Waste Management – Decentralized and village-level solutions.
- 🧑🤝🧑 Leave No One Behind – Inclusion of marginalized groups in access and awareness.
What Does ODF Plus Mean?
Understanding this gradation is crucial for Mains answers and Prelims MCQs:
| Level | Meaning |
| 🚻 ODF | No open defecation; everyone uses a toilet. |
| ➕ ODF Plus (SBM-G) | Village sustains ODF status, ensures solid and liquid waste management and is visually clean (graded Aspiring → Rising → Model). |
Note: ODF+ and ODF++ (functional public toilets; safe management of faecal sludge and septage) are SBM-Urban protocols.
Major Components of SBM-G Phase II
Let’s divide this into Toilets, Waste Management, Behavioural Change, and Monitoring:
🚽 Toilet Infrastructure
- Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs): ₹12,000 for toilet + water storage.
- Retrofitting of Toilets: For dysfunctional toilets; focus on IEC and Inter-Personal Communication (IPC).
🏫 Community Sanitary Complexes (CSCs)
- Built at Gram Panchayat level with government assistance.
♻️ Waste Management Systems
1. Solid Waste Management (SWM):
| Method | Description |
| 🌿 Composting | Household or community pits (for 100–150 households) |
| 🔋 GOBAR-dhan Scheme | ₹50 lakh/district for biogas plants using cattle dung and organic waste |
| 🛍️ Plastic Waste | Must be integrated into district/block sanitation plans |
2. Liquid Waste Management (LWM):
| Scale | Methods |
| 🏡 On-Site | Soak pit, leach pit, kitchen gardens, magic pits |
| 🏘️ Community-Level | If space is limited; collective greywater solutions |
3. Faecal Sludge Management (FSM):
- ₹230 per capita allocated for FSM implementation
- Focus on:
- Mechanized desludging
- Treatment units for safe disposal
- Funds sourced from 15th Finance Commission, CSR, MPLAD/MLALAD, etc.
Institutions That Make It Happen
Role of PRIs (Panchayati Raj Institutions):
- Decentralized planning, fund management, and social audits.
- Ensure community mobilization.
Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs):
- Sub-committees of Gram Panchayats for:
- Motivating usage
- Creating Village Action Plans (VAPs)
Behavioural Change & Campaigns – The Heart of SBM
| Initiative | Focus Area |
| 🚪 Darwaza Band Campaign | Encourages men with toilets to use them; World Bank-supported |
| 🔁 Darwaza Band – Part 2 | Focuses on sustaining ODF behaviour |
| 🇮🇳 Swachhta Hi Sewa Campaign | 15-day intensive cleanliness drive for awareness |
| 🏛️ Swachh Iconic Places (SIP) | Cleanliness around cultural/heritage sites; Inter-ministerial collaboration |
| 🏛️ Rashtriya Swachhta Kendra (RSK) | Interactive experience centre at Rajghat for SBM awareness |
ODF Plus Classification of Villages
| Category | Description |
| 🌱 Aspiring | ODF maintained + either solid or liquid waste system present |
| 🚀 Rising | ODF maintained + both solid and liquid waste managed |
| 🌟 Model | Rising + Visual cleanliness + IEC activities visible |
This classification allows measurable goals and targeted assistance.
📊 Progress: Sanitation coverage was 39% when SBM began in 2014; over 10.28 crore toilets were built in 2014–19 and rural India was declared ODF in 2019. As of 17 September 2026, 5.69 lakh villages are ODF Plus, of which 5.25 lakh are ODF Plus Model.
Monitoring Tools – Data-Driven Governance
| Tool | Function |
| 📲 SLWM Dashboard | Monitors solid and liquid waste asset creation |
| 📱 ODF+ App | Field-level tracking of ODF+ compliance |
| 📱 Swachh Gram Darpan App | Transparency and public engagement tool |
UPSC Relevance – Linkages Across Papers
| Paper | How It Fits |
| GS II | Welfare schemes, role of PRIs, Behavioural policy |
| GS III | Environment (Waste management), Infrastructure |
| Essay | Sanitation, Public health, Social revolution |
| Ethics | Duty to environment and community |
Final Insight – What Makes SBM Phase II Different?
Unlike Phase I, this is not about building toilets on paper. Phase II is about building a culture where cleanliness, sanitation, and dignity are deeply embedded in rural lives.
🧠 It’s not just about a clean village—it’s about a village that stays clean, on its own.
