What is Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme?

Keeping things clean and maintaining personal hygiene are essential daily habits that a lot of people have taken for granted, yet they are crucial for ensuring our wellness. But cleanliness does not just end with personal hygiene. Maintaining a clean environment is equally important in safeguarding public health and preserving our planet. The Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat program, launched by the Indian government, seeks to create awareness about the importance of cleanliness. By promoting hygienic rituals and motivating people to keep their surroundings clean, this initiative aims to create a cleaner, healthier, and more flourishing India. Eventually, it is up to each of us to make cleanliness an integral part of our daily routine for the betterment of ourselves and our society.

What is Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme?

The Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat initiative, launched by the Indian government, seeks to enhance cleanliness and sanitation nationwide. Its primary objective is to eliminate open defecation by constructing household and public toilets, managing solid waste, and promoting hygienic practices. This program involves a cooperative partnership among the central and state governments, local communities, NGOs, and private organizations, with the overarching aim of creating a healthier and more hygienic environment in India that benefits everyone.

On October 2, 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the scheme with the purpose of fostering a healthier and more sustainable environment. The Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat program has already achieved considerable success in advocating for cleanliness and sanitation throughout India, with the construction of millions of toilets and the designation of numerous cities and towns as open-defecation free. Despite this progress, the nation still encounters a range of obstacles relating to infrastructure, awareness, and modifying behavior, indicating that there is still a lengthy path ahead.

The Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat initiative has achieved notable advancements in advocating sanitation and health throughout India. Numerous toilets have been constructed, and multiple urban areas have been declared free from open defecation. Nevertheless, there are still numerous obstacles to overcome, including improving infrastructure, raising awareness, and bringing about behavioural transformations.

In this article, we will closely study about the Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme, its objectives, achievements, challenges, and future prospects. We will also look into the role of individuals and communities in promoting cleanliness and hygiene, and the impact of the scheme on public health, the environment, and the economy.

Key features of Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme

• Building toilets: The government has set up a target of constructing 100 million household toilets in both urban and rural areas of the country.
• Promoting hygiene practices: The scheme focuses on promoting good hygiene practices such as handwashing with soap, safe disposal of waste, and keeping the surroundings clean.
• Cleaning public places: The program also aims to clean public places such as streets, markets, and railway stations.
• Behavioral change: Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme focuses on bringing about a behavioral change in people towards cleanliness and hygiene.
• Involvement of communities: The program encourages the active involvement of communities in maintaining cleanliness and sanitation in their respective areas.
• Use of technology: The scheme also utilizes technology such as the Swachhata App to monitor and track the progress of cleanliness and sanitation activities.

The impact of Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme

• Improved Public Health: The Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat initiative has contributed to enhancing public health by enabling access to essential sanitation amenities and encouraging healthy hygiene habits. The upgradation of sanitation facilities has resulted in a decline in the prevalence of diseases like diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid.
• Economic Benefits: The betterment of sanitation has resulted in economic advantages, such as lowered healthcare expenses, augmented productivity, and amplified tourism. The adoption of enhanced hygiene habits has also led to a decrease in the number of sick leaves taken by workers, thereby resulting in increased productivity.
• Clean and Beautiful Environment: The Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat initiative seeks to cleanse public areas like streets, markets, and railway stations, thereby creating a more hygienic and visually appealing environment. This has a favorable impact on people’s mental and physical well-being.
• Behavioral Change: The program intends to instigate a change in people’s behavior towards cleanliness and hygiene, resulting in long-lasting enhancements in sanitation and hygiene practices.
• Increased Awareness: The Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat initiative has played a significant role in raising awareness about the significance of cleanliness and hygiene among people, resulting in a shift in behavior towards cleanliness.
• Community Involvement: The program promotes active community participation in upholding cleanliness and sanitation in their respective areas, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility among individuals towards maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in their surroundings.

Resources of Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme

• Financial Resources: The Indian government is firmly supporting the Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat campaign with weighty financial resources, which are intended for building toilets, improving access to basic sanitation facilities, and promoting good hygiene practices.
• Human Resources: The Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat program necessitates a large workforce to accomplish its objectives, hence, the initiative has enrolled substantial individuals, like health workers, sanitation workers, and volunteers, to make sure its effective prosecution at the local level.
• Technology: The program incorporates technology to oversee and record the advancement of cleanliness and sanitation tasks. Specifically, the Swachhata App is employed to gather and present information regarding the state of cleanliness in public areas, the building of restrooms, and individuals’ attitudes towards cleanliness and hygiene.
• Community Participation: The program encourages active community participation in maintaining cleanliness and sanitation in their respective areas. The involvement of communities helps to promote a sense of ownership and responsibility towards maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in their surroundings.
• Media: The media has been focal in emphasising the seriousness of cleanliness and hygiene among individuals. To generate awareness about the Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat campaign, the program has made use of vivid media channels, including television, radio, and social media, to captivate the public.

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FAQs

How is Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme implemented?

Various measures are implemented under the Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat program, including constructing toilets, managing solid waste, and ushering awareness campaigns to preach cleanliness and hygiene.

What is the ODF campaign?

The ODF campaign is a component of the Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat initiative that seeks to eliminate open defecation in the country by constructing toilets and promoting their usage.

What is the role of public and community toilets in Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme?

Public and community toilets are important components of Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme as they provide access to clean and safe sanitation facilities for people who do not have toilets at home.

What are IEC activities?

IEC activities refer to information, education, and communication activities that are designed to raise awareness and promote behavior change related to cleanliness, hygiene, and sanitation.

What is capacity building?

Capacity building refers to the process of developing the skills, knowledge, and resources of individuals and organizations to enable them to effectively implement Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme.

How is Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme funded?

Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme is funded by the Government of India via its budgetary allocations and numerous public-private partnerships.

What are the challenges faced in implementing Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme?

Some of the challenges faced in implementing Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme consist of lack of awareness, inadequate resources, and cultural and behavioural barriers.

Conclusion

The Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat scheme has already achieved significant progress in its mission towards a clean and healthy India. The construction of millions of toilets, the provision of access to basic sanitation facilities, and the promotion of good hygiene practices have resulted in a reduction in the incidence of diseases and an improvement in the overall health and wellbeing of people.

The Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat campaign has achieved success in giving rise to economic benefits, such as lower healthcare costs, improved productivity, and increased tourism. It has the capacity to remodel India into a cleaner, healthier, and more prosperous nation.

In summary, the Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat campaign is an essential program that can make a significant difference in enhancing public health and sanitation in India. The program has abundant resources, but its accomplishment relies on the active involvement and backing of all citizens. By promoting cleanliness and good hygiene practices, the program can bring about a positive transformation in India, making it a more prosperous, healthier, and cleaner nation.

Author: Vedanti KiranVedanti is a female finance writer, currently pursuing her studies at Hansraj College. She has a passion for writing and travelling, and her articles on the stock market, finance, investment, and cryptocurrency are well-researched and informative. With her unique perspective on the world of finance, Vedanti is a go-to source for those seeking insights into the world of finance.