PM Narendra Modi on October 1 launched the second phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation. Under the new phases, it will be ensured that no untreated drain waste is discharged into any river of the country, Modi said after launching SBM-U 2.0 and AMRUT 2.0 at the Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi. He said that the new phases of these missions are also an important step in fulfilling the dreams of B R Ambedkar. We take a look at what the new phases are going to be about:
What will be different in Swachh Bharat 2.0?
SBM-U 2.0 envisions all cities garbage-free and will attempt to ensure grey and black water management in all cities other than those covered under AMRUT, make all urban local bodies open defecation free+ and those with a population of less than one lakh as open defecation free++, thereby achieving the vision of safe sanitation in urban areas.
The mission will focus on source segregation of solid waste, utilising the principles of 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), scientific processing of all types of municipal solid waste and remediation of legacy dumpsites for effective solid waste management, PMO said. The outlay of SBM-U 2.0 is around Rs 1.41 lakh crore. "It's our privilege that today's programme has been organised at the BR Ambedkar Centre. Babasaheb believed that urban development was pivotal to removing inequality," the PM said.
What's new in AMRUT 2.0?
AMRUT 2.0 will aim to provide 100 per cent coverage of water supply in around 4,700 urban local bodies through around 2.68 crore tap connections. “The mission will promote data-led governance in water management and Technology Sub-Mission to leverage latest global technologies and skills,” the statement from the government read. These missions signify a step forward in the march towards effectively addressing the challenges of rapidly urbanising India and will also help contribute towards achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, the PMO said.
Will this help improve the standard of living?
Well, the PM thinks this is a serious problem and needs to be dealt with. Noting that many people from villages come to cities with the aspiration of a better life, he said they get employment but their living standard is often worse than in villages. This is like a double whammy as they are away from home, and stay in such a situation, Modi said adding that Babasaheb's great emphasis was on changing this situation. India is processing about one lakh tonne of waste every day, he said, asserting that garbage mountains in cities will be processed and removed completely under the new phases of the two missions.
Have the youth really helped make India cleaner?
Modi noted that the young generation has taken the initiative to strengthen the cleanliness campaign. "Toffee wrappers are no longer thrown on the ground but kept in pockets. Small children now urge the elders not to litter," he said. "We have to remember that maintaining cleanliness is not just for a day, a fortnight, a year or for a few people, it is a mega campaign for every day, every fortnight, every year, for everyone and a continuous programme from one generation to another," the prime minister said.
What did PM Modi really say?
He said that the country is processing about 70 per cent of daily waste and we have to take it to 100 per cent. He also talked about enhanced allocations for the Urban Development Ministry. He said in the preceding 7 years before 2014, the Ministry was given about 1.25 lakh crore rupees while in 7 years from 2014 almost 4 lakh crore rupees were allocated for the ministry. According to the government, the outlay of SBM-U 2.0 is around Rs 1.41 lakh crore.
The journey of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and AMRUT Mission so far makes every countryman proud, he said, adding "In this, there is a mission, there is respect, there is dignity, there is also the ambition of a country and there is also unmatched love for the motherland." He said that when the country started the campaign in 2014, less than 20 per cent of the waste generated every day in the country was processed.
