Context:
Only 16% of land reclaimed under Swachh project to rid urban areas of legacy waste.
Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 (SBM 2.0):
- Launch – Announced in Budget 2021-22.
- Implementation period – 2021-2026.
- Budget outlay – ₹1.41 lakh crore.
- Objectives –
- Safe containment, transportation, and disposal of faecal sludge and septage.
- Source segregation of garbage.
- Reduction in single-use plastic.
- Management of air pollution.
- Effective waste management from construction and demolition activities.
- Bioremediation of legacy dump sites.
- Proper treatment and reuse of wastewater before discharge into water bodies.
- Mission Outcomes –
- ODF (Open Defecation Free) + Certification – All statutory towns (focus on toilets with water, maintenance, and hygiene).
- ODF++ Certification – All statutory towns with less than 1 lakh population (focus on toilets with sludge and septage management).
- Water+ Certification – 50% of statutory towns with less than 1 lakh population (focus on treating and reusing water).
- Garbage Free Rating – All statutory towns to achieve at least 3-star rating as per MoHUA’s Star Rating Protocol.
- Bioremediation – All legacy dumpsites to be bioremediated.
Progress under SBM Phase I:
- ODF Achievement – 4,324 urban local bodies declared Open Defecation Free.
- Toilet Construction – Over 66 lakh individual household toilets and 6 lakh community/public toilets constructed.
- Digital Initiatives – Introduction of Swachhata App for grievance redressal.
- Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan – Initiated in 2016, covering over 4,000 Urban Local Bodies, making it the world’s largest urban cleanliness survey.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of Air Quality Index?
1. Carbon dioxide
2. Carbon monoxide
3. Nitrogen dioxide
4. Sulfur dioxide
5. Methane
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Answer: (b)
