Swachh Bharat and the Toilet Campaign

How the Swachh Bharat Mission launched in 2014 built crores of household toilets to end open defecation, and why sanitation matters for health and economics.

In 2014, India had one of the world’s highest rates of open defecation. On 2 October 2014, the government launched the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).

Goals

End open defecation by 2 October 2019, Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary.
Improve solid waste management.

Rural toilets

The rural component (SBM-Gramin) gave incentives, around 12,000 rupees per household, to build toilets. Over 10 crore household toilets were built.

In October 2019, rural India was declared open defecation free (ODF). The second phase focuses on ODF Plus: sustaining toilet use and managing solid and liquid waste.

Why sanitation matters

Health: open defecation spreads diarrhoea and other diseases, which contribute to child stunting.
Dignity and safety, especially for women.
Productivity: fewer sick days.

Studies, such as one by the World Health Organization, estimated that SBM could prevent many deaths from diarrhoeal disease. UNICEF studies suggested families saved on medical costs and time.

Behaviour change

Building toilets isn’t enough; people must use them. SBM included large behaviour change campaigns with community mobilisation.

Urban

SBM-Urban built community and public toilets and supported waste management in cities.

The village toilet

A family in rural Uttar Pradesh builds a toilet with SBM support. The daughter no longer has to walk to the fields before dawn, and the family's children fall sick less often.

Thinking sanitation is only about building toilets

Use, maintenance and safe waste management are just as important.

Key takeaways

Swachh Bharat Mission launched on 2 October 2014.
Over 10 crore rural household toilets were built.
Rural India was declared ODF in October 2019.
Sanitation improves health, dignity and productivity.