India’s Sanitation Journey: Progress, Challenges, and the Significance of World Toilet Day

Context

World Toilet Day was recently observed globally, highlighting the urgent need to address sanitation challenges and ensure universal access to safe, hygienic, and sustainable toilets. The observance also draws attention to India’s progress in improving sanitation through national missions and community-led initiatives.

What is World Toilet Day?

Observed on: November 19 every year
UN Recognition: Officially designated by the UN in 2013
Significance: Emphasizes toilets as essential for health, dignity, equality, and sustainability
Alignment with Global Goals: Directly contributes to SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation

Importance of Proper Sanitation

Basic Human Need: Essential for public health, dignity, and environmental protection
Reduces Disease: Helps prevent waterborne illnesses and improves overall well-being
Promotes Equality: Ensures privacy and safety, particularly benefiting women and children
Ensures Dignity: Critical for communities facing climate challenges, urbanization, and socio-economic disparities

Schemes and Initiatives Promoting Sanitation in India

1. Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)

A transformative nationwide programme launched to eliminate open defecation and improve sanitation infrastructure in both rural and urban India.

Key Details

Launch Date: 2 October 2014
Components:
- SBM-Gramin (rural areas)
- SBM-Urban (urban areas)
Major Achievement:
- By October 2019, all villages, districts, and states were officially declared Open Defecation Free (ODF)

Outcomes of SBM Phase I

Health Gains: WHO estimates 300,000 fewer diarrhoeal deaths (2014–2019) due to improved sanitation
Economic Benefits: Households in ODF areas saved nearly ₹50,000 annually in health costs
Environmental Protection: Significant reduction in groundwater contamination
Women’s Dignity & Safety: 93% of women reported feeling safer with household toilets

2. SBM–Gramin Phase II (2020 onwards)

Focused on sustaining the gains of Phase I and advancing solid and liquid waste management to achieve Sampoorn Swachhata (complete cleanliness).

Objectives

Sustain ODF status
Strengthen waste management infrastructure
Transform villages into ODF Plus Model Villages

Types of ODF Plus Villages

ODF Plus Aspiring: ODF + either solid or liquid waste management
ODF Plus Rising: ODF + both solid and liquid waste management
ODF Plus Model: Complete waste management + visual cleanliness + IEC awareness

Rural Sanitation Progress

95%+ of villages declared ODF Plus
ODF Plus villages increased by 467% (from 1 lakh in Dec 2022 to 5.67 lakh)
4,85,818 villages achieved ODF Plus Model status

3. Urban Sanitation under SBM-Urban

4,692 cities – ODF
4,314 cities – ODF+
1,973 cities – ODF++

Toilet Construction Achievements

Individual Household Toilets:

Achievement: 108.62%
Constructed: 63,74,355

Community/Public Toilets:

Achievement: 125.46%
Constructed: 6,38,826

International organizations, including UNICEF, regard SBM as one of the world’s largest and most impactful sanitation campaigns.

4. AMRUT & AMRUT 2.0

AMRUT (2015): Aimed at improving water supply, sewerage, and septage systems in urban areas
AMRUT 2.0 (2021): Focuses on universal sewerage and septage coverage across 500 AMRUT cities

5. Jal Jeevan Mission (2019)

Provides safe drinking water to rural households while supporting sanitation and the maintenance of ODF villages.

ODF Plus Plus Areas

These are areas that:

Sustain zero open defecation
Have fully functional, well-maintained toilets
Safely manage and treat all faecal sludge and sewage without polluting water bodies

Conclusion

India’s sanitation journey highlights a significant shift from combating open defecation to building sustainable, community-driven systems for hygiene and waste management. Through programmes such as the Swachh Bharat Mission, AMRUT, and the Jal Jeevan Mission, the country has advanced from infrastructure development to long-term cleanliness, dignity, and inclusivity.

The observance of World Toilet Day reinforces India’s commitment to SDG 6, positioning the nation as a global leader in promoting safe sanitation and strengthening public health for all.

Source : PIB