This document outlines the ten year strategy for sanitation in rural areas in India from 2019 to 2029, which is aimed at achieving the vision of ODF Plus.

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation had commissioned “Swachh Survekshan Grameen-2019” (SSG 2019) through an independent survey agency to develop ranking of all districts of India on the basis of quantitative and qualitative sanitation (swachhata) parameters.

The book is a compilation of media coverage of the major milestones of the Swachh Bharat Mission since 2014.

The National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) 2018-19, conducted by an Independent Verification Agency (IVA) under the World Bank support project to the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G), has found that 96.5% of the households in rural India who have access to a toilet use it.

A new government-commissioned survey has found that 93.1% of rural Indian households now have access to toilets, in comparison to 77% last year.

To achieve “Swachh Bharat” by October 2, 2019, the main objectives of the SBM(G) are as under: Bring about an improvement in the general quality of life in the rural areas, by promoting cleanliness, hygiene and eliminating open defecation; Accelerate sanitation coverage in rural areas to achieve the vision of Swachh Bharat by 2nd October 2019;

The guidelines on Swajal provide details of the scheme, implementation arrangements, financing provisions and roles and responsbilities of various stakeholders involved in its implementation. The guidelines have to be read in conjunction with National Rural Drinking water Programme issued by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) has commissioned “Swachh Sarvekshan Grameen-2018” (SSG, 2018) through an independent survey agency to develop ranking of all districts of India on the basis of quantitative and qualitative sanitation (Swachhata) parameters.

This was a preliminary observational study which aimed to examine whether there are any early observed differences in the health outcomes of the children from the selected ODF villages vis-à-vis. the selected non-ODF villages of the five Indian states - Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

UNICEF was requested by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation to conduct a study to assess the economic impacts of the Swachh Bharat Gramin in rural areas.