India Independence: How 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' became a massive mission for a clean future

The Indian government took a pledge for a cleaner country and launched a massive mission of 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' on October 2, 2014, to call on people to fulfil Mahatma Gandhi's vision of a clean nation. The aim of the mission is to eliminate open defecation and also improve solid waste management. It also aims at increasing awareness of menstrual health management. It is a restructured version of Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan.

At the time of the launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that a clean India will the best tribute the nation can pay to Bapu when it will celebrate his 150th birth anniversary in 2019 as cleanliness was very close to Mahatma Gandhi's heart... and it did happen.

The government says that Mahatma Gandhi "devoted his life so that India attains 'Swarajya'" and "now the time has come to devote ourselves towards 'Swachchhata' (cleanliness) of our motherland". By October 2, 2019, most of the villages, Gram Panchayats, Districts, States and Union Territories declared themselves 'open-defecation free' as the government constructed over 100 million toilets in rural India.

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'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' emerged as one of the most popular missions in the history of independent India, moving millions of people, whoparticipatedin the initiative and came forward to help sanitation workers to clean their vicinity.

With the celebration of Independence Day every year, we should keep up the good work and remember 'Cleanliness is Next to Godliness'.

Phase II of SBMG

The 'Swachh Bharat Mission' is moving towards the next Phase II of SBMG i.e ODF-Plus. ODF stands for Open Defacation-Free.

ODF Plus activities under Phase II of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) will reinforce ODF behaviours and focus on providing interventions for the safe management of solid and liquid waste in villages.

Focus on e-waste as well

Modern and advanced electronic appliances and gadgets display a very promising picture of India. If not correctly treated, the numerous toxic components found in e-waste could have an adverse effect on both the environment and human health. Therefore, managing e-waste is a difficult task that needs everyone in India to actively participate.

Swachh Pledge
Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of an India which was not only free but also clean and developed.
Mahatma Gandhi secured freedom for Mother India.
Now it is our duty to serve Mother India by keeping the country neat and clean.
I take this pledge that I will remain committed towards cleanliness and devote time for this.
I will devote 100 hours per year, that is two hours per week, to voluntarily work for cleanliness.
I will neither litter not let others litter.
I will initiate the quest for cleanliness with myself, my family, my locality, my village and my work place.
I believe that the countries of the world that appear clean are so because their citizens don't indulge in littering nor do they allow it to happen.
With this firm belief, I will propagate the message of Swachh Bharat Mission in villages and towns.
I will encourage 100 other persons to take this pledge which I am taking today.
I will endeavour to make them devote their 100 hours for cleanliness.
I am confident that every step I take towards cleanliness will help in making my country clean.

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