5. Parliamentary Institutions and Legislative Functioning

d.Standing Committee Review: SBM (Grameen) Phase-II

Notes for Students

Context of the Article:The 15th report of the Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (2024-25) reviewed the progress of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase-II. While the Government of India reported significant achievements in declaring villages ODF Plus, the Committee flagged concerns regarding poor fund utilization, delays in construction targets, and inadequate waste management implementation. The review comes as the Phase-II deadline approaches in 2025.

UPSC Paper Topic Belongs To:
GS Paper II – Government Policies and Interventions for Development
GS Paper II – Issues relating to poverty and hunger (sanitation as a public health concern)
GS Paper III – Infrastructure and Environmental Management
GS Paper II – Role of civil services in sanitation implementation

Dimensions of the Article:

• Progress of SBM-G Phase-II
• Standing Committee observations
• Challenges in implementation and financing
• Recent digital and capacity-building innovations
• Way forward with upcoming targets

Why in News

The Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase-II was launched in 2020 with the aim to make all Indian villages ODF Plus by 2025. The government claims that over 95% of villages (557,468 out of 587,529) have achieved ODF Plus status. However, the Standing Committee’s report for FY 2024-25, tabled in Parliament in February 2025, highlights several concerns such as limited progress in solid and liquid waste management, slow fund utilization, inadequate incentives, and unrealistic data capturing in surveys like the Swachh Survekshan Grameen (SSG) 2023.

Features

1. Performance Review and Key Statistics
   
   1. 95% of villages declared ODF Plus, but actual infrastructure completion remains low.
   2. Only 35% of the solid waste management and 57% of liquid waste management targets were achieved by the end of 2023-24.
   3. Individual Household Latrines (IHHL) completion stands at 31%; Community Sanitary Complexes (CSCs) at only 8%.
      
2. Low Fund Utilization
   
   1. Of the Rs. 10,000 crore allocated for FY 2024-25, only around 19.6% was utilized till January 2025.
   2. Heavy reliance on Extra Budgetary Resources (EBR) created debt liabilities with 9–17% interest rates, reducing effective spending.
      
3. Inadequate Incentives and Rising Costs
   
   1. The Committee criticized the fixed IHHL incentive of Rs. 12,000 as outdated and insufficient in the face of rising construction costs.
   2. Recommended a revision to match inflation and ensure completion.
      
4. Survey and Monitoring Flaws
   
   1. The Committee expressed dissatisfaction with the methodology of SSG 2023, citing small sample sizes and inconsistent scoring across states.
   2. Urged for improved, independent third-party evaluations.
      
5. Regional Imbalance
   
   1. States like Jharkhand, Punjab, and those in the North-East lag significantly in waste management targets, indicating capacity and resource gaps.
      
6. Digital Innovations and Capacity Building
   
   1. In January 2025, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation launched the WhatsApp-enabled SBM Academy to train sanitation workers and local officials digitally.
      
   2. Gujarat was cited for its proactive PRI-led model, emphasizing community mobilization and decentralized waste solutions.
      

Explainers

1. What is the difference between ODF and ODF Plus?

The Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), launched in 2014, introduced the concept of Open Defecation Free (ODF) status to improve rural sanitation. A village is declared ODF when no individual defecates in the open, and every household has access to and uses safe toilets.

However, ODF status only addresses the elimination of open defecation, not the sustainability or environmental impacts of sanitation systems.

To address this, the Ministry of Jal Shakti launched SBM-Grameen Phase II (2020–2025), which introduced the term ODF Plus. It aims at sustaining ODF achievements and building on them through:

• Functional toilets with water supply
• Solid Waste Management (SWM) systems such as compost pits, community bins, and waste collection mechanisms
• Liquid Waste Management (LWM) including soak pits, drainage systems, and greywater treatment
• Visual cleanliness of public spaces and drains
• Behavior change communication to promote hygiene and sustained toilet usage

Hence, while ODF ensures access and use of toilets, ODF Plus focuses on sustainability, environmental management, and institutional behavior change in rural sanitation.

2. Why is waste management underperforming despite high ODF Plus declarations?

As per the 15th Standing Committee Report on SBM-G (2024–25), there is a discrepancy between ODF Plus declarations and ground-level implementation. Though over 557,000 villages (95%) were declared ODF Plus as of January 2025, the infrastructure to support these claims is inadequate.

Key reasons for underperformance in waste management:

1. Resource Constraints: Solid and liquid waste management requires high capital investment for compost pits, biogas units, greywater drains, etc., which many Gram Panchayats cannot afford despite central assistance.
2. Technical Gaps: Rural areas often lack engineers, trained sanitation workers, and logistical support to construct and maintain waste systems.
3. Behavioral Challenges: Segregation at source, timely disposal, and participation in cleanliness drives require continuous community mobilization, which is lacking.
4. Monitoring and Declaration Weaknesses: The current system allows ODF Plus declarations based on intent or self-declared progress, without rigorous third-party verification.
5. State-wise Imbalance: While some states like Tamil Nadu and Gujarat have better performance, others such as Jharkhand, Punjab, and the North-East lag significantly due to weak institutional support.

Thus, institutional, financial, and social limitations hinder the full realization of ODF Plus goals, despite official declarations.

3. What is SBM Academy and how does it help?

Recognizing the capacity gaps among rural sanitation workers and officials, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) launched the SBM Academy in January 2025 as a part of SBM-G Phase II.

Features of SBM Academy:

• It is a WhatsApp-enabled digital training platform, integrated with IVRS (Interactive Voice Response System), allowing even non-smartphone users to access training.
• Content is available in multiple regional languages and designed to be interactive, visual, and audio-based, enhancing accessibility for frontline workers.
• The initiative targets sanitation motivators, Swachhagrahis, Gram Panchayat functionaries, and community-based organizations.
• The modules cover topics such as waste segregation, greywater management, toilet maintenance, and behavioral messaging.

By bridging digital and knowledge gaps, SBM Academy is a scalable, low-cost tool for strengthening last-mile service delivery and empowering rural institutions to meet ODF Plus requirements effectively.

4. How is Gujarat implementing SBM differently?

Gujarat is often cited as a model state in the implementation of SBM-Grameen due to its proactive approach and early achievements. The state was declared ODF in 2017, and its SBM Phase-II strategy focuses on sustaining this through decentralized waste management and community ownership.

Key features of Gujarat’s implementation:

1. PRI-Centric Approach: Gujarat emphasizes empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to lead sanitation drives and monitor waste infrastructure at the village level.
2. Convergence with MGNREGA and 15th Finance Commission Funds: Gujarat effectively integrates labour and resource allocation from other schemes to build soak pits, compost units, and community sanitary complexes.
3. Waste Value Chains: The state promotes waste-to-wealth models, where compost and recyclables from rural waste are monetized through SHGs and entrepreneurs.
4. Digital Monitoring Tools: Use of state-specific geo-tagging, mobile apps, and dashboards to track real-time progress on sanitation parameters.
5. Community Engagement: Regular IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) campaigns and competitions to ensure citizen participation in keeping villages clean.

Gujarat’s model demonstrates that strong local governance, financial convergence, and behavioural strategies are critical for effective sanitation outcomes under SBM-G Phase II.

Conclusion
The Standing Committee’s review of SBM (Grameen) Phase-II underlines the gap between declared achievements and ground realities. Low fund utilization, poor construction progress, and inadequate monitoring risk undermining the mission’s goals as 2025 nears. While digital tools like SBM Academy and examples like Gujarat offer replicable models, urgent reforms are needed in fund disbursement, incentive structure, and survey mechanisms. A coordinated push involving states, PRIs, and civil society is essential for ensuring sustainable rural sanitation and achieving long-term health and environmental outcomes.