{"id":12641,"date":"2025-12-02T17:57:46","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T12:27:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/?p=12641"},"modified":"2025-12-02T17:57:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T12:27:46","slug":"waste-to-wellness-indias-sanitation-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/?p=12641","title":{"rendered":"Waste to Wellness: India\u2019s Sanitation Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"

Waste to Wellness: India\u2019s Sanitation Journey<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Posted On: 19 NOV 2025 2:15PM by PIB Delhi<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0Key Takeaways<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n
    \n
  • ODF Plus Villages climbed to\u00a05,67,708\u00a0showcasing\u00a0467% growth.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
  • 4692 Cities\u00a0have ODF status as of November 2025.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Rural India declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) in\u00a02019.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Overview<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Access to safe toilets and proper sanitation is essential for\u00a0public health, dignity, and environmental sustainability. Improved sanitation reduces waterborne diseases, enhances productivity, and safeguards the environment. It also empowers women and children by providing safety, privacy, and better educational opportunities. In today\u2019s era of climate change, rapid urban expansion, and persistent inequality, secure sanitation continues to be a foundation for human dignity, community well-being, and sustainable progress.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
    World Toilet Day<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    World Toilet Day is observed every year on\u00a019 November\u00a0to raise awareness about the global sanitation crisis and the importance of safe toilets for all. It was officially designated as a United Nations observance in 2013. It highlights toilets as vital for health, dignity, equality, and sustainability and directly supports\u00a0Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, aiming for universal access by 2030.<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    India\u2019s\u00a0Swachh Bharat Mission\u00a0is often highlighted by the UN bodies such as UNICEF as one of the largest sanitation drives globally, showcasing how national action can contribute to global goals.\u00a0<\/sup>As World Toilet Day is being observed, India is moving ahead by turning sanitation into a nationwide success story.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Swatch Bharat Mission (SBM): Global Model for Sanitation Reform<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    The Government of India has launched several landmark initiatives to improve sanitation and hygiene across the country. The\u00a0Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM),\u00a0has been the flagship program, aiming to eliminate open defecation and provide universal toilet access in both rural and urban areas.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    India has seen a transformation in its sanitation drive since the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission, which transformed access to toilets and hygiene facilities across rural and urban areas.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Launch of Swachh Bharat Mission (2014):\u00a0Announced on\u00a02nd October 2014, the mission aimed to eliminate open defecation and improve solid and liquid waste management. It has two components:\u00a0SBM – Gramin (rural)\u00a0and\u00a0SBM – Urban (cities and towns). Under this initiative in\u00a0October 2019, all villages, districts, and states were declared\u00a0Open Defecation Free (ODF).<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      The outcomes of SBM Phase I were remarkable: –<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      • Health Gains:\u00a0WHO estimated 300,000 fewer diarrheal deaths in 2019 versus 2014, linked to improved sanitation.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
      • Economic Savings:\u00a0Households in ODF villages reduced health-related expenses by nearly INR 50,000 each year.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
      • Environmental Protection:\u00a0ODF regions recorded notable declines in groundwater pollution levels.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
      • Women\u2019s Safety and Dignity:\u00a0With expanded toilet access, 93% of women expressed feeling safer within their homes.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        Building on these milestones,\u00a0SBM (Gramin)\u00a0Phase II\u00a0focuses on sustaining ODF outcomes and advancing integrated solid and liquid waste management to achieve\u00a0\u2018Sampoorn Swachhata\u2019<\/em>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Phase II of SBM (Gramin)\u00a0was introduced in\u00a02020\u00a0to guarantee universal access to household toilets and effective waste management, with the objective of transforming villages into\u00a0ODF Plus Models. Its key objective is to\u00a0sustain the ODF status of villages\u00a0and to improve the levels of cleanliness in rural areas through solid and liquid waste management activities, making all villages ODF Plus Model, which includes ODF Sustainability, Solid and Liquid Waste Management, and Visual Cleanliness.<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n

        		<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

        \n\n\n\n
        ODF Plus Village<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

        An ODF Plus village is defined as a village which sustains its Open Defecation Free (ODF) Status, ensures solid and liquid waste management and is visually clean. There are\u00a03 progressive stages\u00a0of ODF Plus villages:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        • ODF Plus Aspiring:\u00a0A Village which is sustaining its ODF status and has arrangements for Solid Waste Management OR Liquid Waste Management.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
            \n
          • ODF Plus Rising:\u00a0A village which is sustaining its ODF status and has arrangements for BOTH Solid Waste Management and Liquid Waste Management.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
          • ODF Plus Model:\u00a0A village which is sustaining its ODF status and has arrangements for both Solid Waste Management and Liquid Waste Management; observes visual cleanliness, and displays ODF Plus Information, Education & Communication (IEC) messages.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

            India\u2019s progress in sanitation under the Swachh Bharat Mission reflects a clear shift from access to sustainability. In rural areas, villages have steadily advanced from being declared open defecation free to achieving\u00a0ODF Plus\u00a0and\u00a0ODF Plus Model\u00a0status, showing strong community participation in maintaining facilities. Urban centers, meanwhile, have\u00a0surpassed targets for household and public toilet construction, ensuring that sanitation infrastructure keeps pace with growing populations.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

            ODF Plus Plus:\u00a0It refers to an area where there is no open defecation and all toilets are functional and well-maintained, and all faecal sludge and sewage are safely managed and treated without being discharged into open drains or water bodies.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
            Rural Sanitation (SBM-Gramin)<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            \n
              \n
            • Over\u00a095%\u00a0of villages in India were\u00a0declared ODF Plus.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            \n
              \n
            • ODF Plus villages grew by 467%\u00a0\u2014 from 1 lakh in December 2022 to\u00a05.67 lakh villages.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            \n
              \n
            • ODF Plus Model Villages\u00a0increased to\u00a04,85,818.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

              \n\n\n\n\n\n\n
              Urban Sanitation (SBM-Urban)<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
              \n
                \n
              • 4,692\u00a0cities are ODF,\u00a04,314\u00a0have achieved ODF+, and\u00a01,973\u00a0have reached ODF++ status.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
              \n
                \n
              • Individual Household Latrine:<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                  \n
                • Construction Achieved:\u00a0108.62%<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
                • Constructed:\u00a063,74,355<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
                • Mission Target:\u00a058,99,637<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
              \n
                \n
              • Community & Public Toilet:<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                  \n
                • Construction Achieved:\u00a0125.46%<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
                • Constructed:\u00a06,38,826<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n
                • Mission Target:\u00a05,07,587<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

                  (as on 19.11.2025)<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

                  Water and Sanitation Synergy: AMRUT & Jal Jeevan Mission<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

                  Complementary schemes such as Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation\u00a0(AMRUT)\u00a0focus on urban sewerage and drainage, while the\u00a0Jal Jeevan Mission\u00a0ensures a reliable water supply to households, strengthening sanitation outcomes. Together, these policies emphasize sustainability, inclusivity, and dignity, making sanitation a cornerstone of public health and development.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)\u00a0was launched in\u00a02015,\u00a0focusing on the development of basic infrastructure in urban areas, in the sectors of water supply, sewerage, and septage management.\u00a0AMRUT 2.0\u00a0was launched in\u00a02021\u00a0in all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)\/Cities.\u00a0Providing universal coverage of sewerage and septage management\u00a0in 500 AMRUT cities is one of the major focus areas of AMRUT 2.0.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
                     <\/p>\n
                      \n
                    • 890 sewerage\/septage projects\u00a0worth\u00a0\u20b934,447 crore\u00a0have been grounded.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                    \n
                      \n
                    • 4,622 MLD\u00a0(Million litres\/day)<\/em>\u00a0of new\/augmented sewage treatment capacity has been created, including\u00a01,437 MLD for recycle\/reuse.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                    \n
                      \n
                    • 586 projects\u00a0worth\u00a0\u20b968,461.78 crore\u00a0have been taken up by States\/UTs.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                    \n
                      \n
                    • Approved projects add\u00a06,964 MLD\u00a0of STP\u00a0(Sewage Treatment Plant)<\/em>\u00a0capacity, with\u00a01,938.96 MLD\u00a0earmarked for recycle\/reuse.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

                      (as on 21.08.2025)<\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

                        \n
                      • Jal Jeevan Mission\u00a0launched in\u00a0August 2019, apart from providing safe and ample drinking water to all rural households, also focuses on\u00a0sanitation & maintenance of open-defecation-free (ODF) villages.<\/span><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                        Conclusion:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

                        India\u2019s sanitation journey reflects a transformation from addressing open defecation to building sustainable systems of hygiene and waste management. Through initiatives like the\u00a0Swachh Bharat Mission,\u00a0AMRUT, and the\u00a0Jal Jeevan Mission, the country has moved beyond infrastructure creation to ensuring dignity, inclusivity, and long-term cleanliness. With observance of important events like International Toilet Day, these efforts not only strengthen public health but also align with global commitments under\u00a0Sustainable Development Goal 6, positioning India as a leader in advancing safe sanitation for all.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                        Waste to Wellness: India\u2019s Sanitation Journey Posted On: 19 NOV 2025 2:15PM by PIB Delhi \u00a0Key Takeaways ODF Plus Villages climbed to\u00a05,67,708\u00a0showcasing\u00a0467% growth. 4692 Cities\u00a0have ODF status as of November 2025. Rural India declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) in\u00a02019. Overview Access to safe toilets and proper sanitation is essential for\u00a0public health, dignity, and environmental sustainability. …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12642,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12641","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12641"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12641\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12643,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12641\/revisions\/12643"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12641"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12641"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12641"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}