Second phase of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) launched

The government on Wednesday launched the second phase of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), which has a total outlay of Rs 1,40,881 crore and is aimed at ensuring effective solid and liquid waste management in every panchayat.

SBM (G) Phase-II will focus on sustaining the gains made in the first phase of the programme in the past five years in terms of toilet access and usage, and will ensure that no one is left behind, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said.

He said the programme will be implemented from 2020-2021 to 2024-2025 in a mission mode with a total outlay of Rs 1,40,881 crore.

"Phase II will ensure that effective solid and liquid waste management (SLWM) is instituted in every gram panchayat of the country," Shekhawat told reporters after the launch at the National Dissemination and Consultation Workshop on SBM (G) Phase-II.

"This will be a novel model of convergence among different verticals of financing. Of this, Rs 52,497 crore will be allocated from the budget of department of drinking water and sanitation. The remaining amount will be dovetailed from the funds being released under the 15th finance commission, MGNREGS and revenue generation models particularly for SLWM," he said.

On February 19, the cabinet approved the second phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet project focussed on sustainability of ODF and management of solid and liquid waste.

Since the launch of the mission in 2014, over 10 crore toilets have been built in rural areas, Shekhawat said, adding, "over 5.9 lakh villages in 699 districts of 35 states/UTs have declared themselves open defecation free (ODF)."