Cabinet extends Mission to rid urban India of open defecation

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 12

The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved the continuation of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) till 2025-26, with focus on sustainability of Open Defecation Free (ODF) outcomes, achieving scientific processing of Solid Waste in all cities, and managing wastewater in cities with less than 1 lakh population in Census 2011 [cities not covered under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)].

A financial outlay of Rs 1,41,600 crore has been finalised for SBM-U 2.0, including central share of Rs 36,465 crore for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 which is over 2.5 times the financial outlay of Rs62,009 crores in the last phase of the mission.

Over the next five years, the focus of SBM-U 2.0, launched on October 1, 2021 by the prime minister, will be on sustaining the sanitation and solid waste management outcomes achieved and accelerating the momentum generated, thus achieving the mission’s vision of a “Garbage Free” Urban India.

Among expected outcomes of the mission are: All statutory towns to become open defecation free; all cities with over 1 lakh population to be made ODF and putting in place systems and processes so that all wastewater is safely treated and optimally reused and no untreated wastewater pollutes water bodies.