GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Start Date
01/08/2026 - 11:49
End Date
02/10/2026 - 23:45
Time zone: IST (GMT +5.30 Hrs)
Created : 1/08/2026
136
Total Comments
75
Users Participated
In the last 12 years, SBM(G) has evolved from a sanitation programme into a nationwide movement that has improved public health, enhanced dignity of women, empowered communities and promoted sustainable rural development. Building on the achievement of Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, SBM(G) 2.0 has expanded its focus to sustaining sanitation outcomes through interventions such as Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs), Community Sanitary Complexes (CSCs), Solid and Liquid Waste Management, Plastic Waste Management, Faecal Sludge Management, GOBARdhan, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) and Capacity Building. The current phase of the Mission is scheduled to conclude in March 2027.
As the Department prepares the roadmap for the next phase of rural sanitation, it seeks ideas from citizens to sustain and strengthen the gains achieved under SBM(G) while addressing emerging challenges related to waste management, resource recovery, environmental sustainability, Operation & Maintenance (O&M) and long-term community ownership of assets and outcomes. Innovative, practical and scalable solutions are required to enhance sanitation service delivery, strengthen waste management systems, promote behavioural change and accelerate the transition towards a circular waste-to-wealth economy. Given that the diversities of rural areas from urban cities, suggestions and ideas, specific to rural scenarios will be highly appreciated. Along with these, with peri-urban areas / villages also growing fast and having characteristics of urban centers, solutions specific for such areas are also being sought.
The success of SBM(G) has been driven by the spirit of Jan Bhagidari (People's Participation). Citizens, Gram Panchayats, SHGs, youth, Swachhagrahis and other stakeholders have been at the forefront of transforming rural sanitation and their continued participation will remain critical for sustaining these achievements.
Accordingly, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti in collaboration with MyGov, invites citizens, youth, Gram Panchayats, SHGs, academic and research institutions, development partners and other stakeholders to share their suggestions and ideas for the next phase of rural sanitation programme on the following:
- Areas to be taken up (including existing areas where gaps may be remaining)
- New technological interventions for SWM, GWM, FSM.
- Rural Sanitation
- Solutions for treating pollution in small nallahs/rivulets discharging into rivers in rural areas.
- Adoption of solutions based on traditional knowledge and ancient wisdom in new settings for rural India.
- Any other area related to the programme.
The suggestions received will help and guide the next phase of SBM(G) and contribute to building cleaner, healthier and environmentally sustainable villages that will be strong contributors for achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat@2047.
Participation Guidelines
- All Citizens, youth (including students), Gram Panchayats & SHGs, academic and research institutions, development partners, NGOs and other stakeholders are invited to contribute ideas for shaping the next phase of rural sanitation and solid-liquid waste management under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen).
- For detailed information about SBM(G) Phase II, applicants may visit the SBM(G) Phase II operational guidelines available on website of the Department (https://swachhbharatmission.ddws.gov.in). The guidelines can also be assessed through: https://swachhbharatmission.ddws.gov.in/sites/default/files/Guidelines/SBMG%20Phase-II%20Operational%20Guidelines.pdf
- Suggestions may be submitted on any of the major components of SBM(G), including Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs), Community Sanitary Complexes (CSCs), Solid Waste Management, Liquid Waste Management, Plastic Waste Management, GOBARdhan, Faecal Sludge Management, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) and Capacity Building. Global best practices forming the bases of solution, may also duly mentioned and referred.
- Participants are encouraged to propose innovative, technology-driven, scientific, managerial, practical, feasible and scalable solutions to address rural sanitation challenges and strengthen long-term sustainability.
- Suggestions should focus on supporting the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, in developing the roadmap for the next phase of rural sanitation for India.
- Participants are required to register on the MyGov platform and submit their suggestions through the prescribed online form.
1 day 18 hours ago
To make rural sanitation sustainable, every village should have regular awareness campaigns on cleanliness, proper waste management, and safe drinking water. Schools and local communities should actively participate. Digital monitoring, timely maintenance of toilets, and incentives for clean villages can improve long-term sanitation and public health.
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1 day 19 hours ago
As rural landscapes evolve, the boundary between villages and towns is blurring. Peri-urban centers and large rural villages now host bustling commercial hubs, including dhabas, hardware stores, and local manufacturing units. These entities generate significantly more waste than a standard household, straining local waste infrastructure. Implementing a tiered "Pay-As-You-Throw" (PAYT) municipal model tailored for these rural commercial zones will ensure financial sustainability. Unlike a flat tax, PAYT charges businesses based specifically on the volume and type of waste they generate. This system financially penalizes high-waste generation and strictly incentivizes commercial source segregation and recycling. The revenue generated from these commercial waste fees directly funds the Gram Panchayat’s sanitation workers, transport vehicles, and processing facilities, creating a self-sustaining financial loop for robust solid waste management in rapidly urbanizing areas.
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1 day 19 hours ago
Modern sanitation often relies heavily on synthetic chemical cleaners, which are not only expensive and dependent on complex supply chains but can also disrupt the natural biological processes required for effective pit latrine and compost degradation. To counter this, SBM(G) can officially standardize and promote the ancient, vernacular wisdom of using wood ash and slaked lime (chuna) for sanitization. For centuries, these highly accessible, low-cost materials have been used in rural India. When applied to pit latrines, animal sheds, and compost trenches, ash and lime naturally raise the pH level of the environment. This effectively neutralizes odors, accelerates the breakdown of organic matter, and acts as a powerful natural biocide to eliminate harmful pathogens and fly larvae. By re-integrating this traditional knowledge, we empower households to maintain supreme hygiene standards sustainably, utilizing zero-cost materials readily available in their own backyards.
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1 day 19 hours ago
The greatest threat to the longevity of SBM(G) infrastructure is the lack of structured operation and maintenance. Relying perpetually on Gram Panchayat funds for upkeep is unsustainable. Instead, we must foster a new class of rural micro-entrepreneurs called "Sanitation-Preneurs." Through subsidized government loans and targeted capacity building, local youth can establish small businesses dedicated to sanitation services. These micro-franchises would offer paid services to households and commercial setups, such as mechanized pit-emptying, septic tank cleaning, drain desilting, and the distribution of processed compost back to farmers. By transitioning sanitation from a free government welfare service to a competitive, localized business model, we guarantee the professional, timely maintenance of rural infrastructure while simultaneously generating employment and retaining wealth within the village economy.
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1 day 19 hours ago
Rural India possesses a wealth of ancient wisdom regarding water conservation, particularly through traditional structures like 'Johads', 'Baolis', and stepwells. However, as villages modernize, these vital catchments are increasingly being ruined by the ingress of synthetic greywater and plastic pollution. SBM(G) 2.0 can revive this traditional knowledge by integrating it with modern ecological engineering. By constructing engineered bio-swales and physical silt-traps at the natural catchment inlets of these traditional ponds, we can protect the water quality. These bio-swales, lined with specific filtering reeds and gravel, naturally intercept and purify soapy household runoff and trap solid waste before it reaches the main reservoir. This fusion of ancient rainwater harvesting architecture with modern bio-filtration ensures these historical water bodies remain pristine, providing a sustainable, clean water table for the community while preventing vector-borne diseases.
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1 day 19 hours ago
While SBM(G) has successfully built infrastructure, sustaining long-term behavioral change requires transitioning from awareness campaigns to tangible economic incentives. Introducing a "Swachhata Credits" gamification system creates a digital ledger for positive sanitation behaviors. Using the existing network of Swachhagrahis, households receive digital points on a dedicated app for measurable actions: consistently segregating dry/wet waste, maintaining their soak pits, or contributing cow dung to the community GOBARdhan plant. Once accumulated, these credits can be redeemed for direct economic benefits, such as subsidized agricultural seeds, discounted fertilizers from local cooperatives, or even rebates on Gram Panchayat water and property taxes. By directly monetizing civic responsibility, this system ensures absolute community participation, transforms waste into a valuable household currency, and guarantees the sustained maintenance of village sanitation assets.
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1 day 19 hours ago
Peri-urban areas and rapidly expanding large villages face a unique sanitation crisis: their population density is too high for individual household soak pits, yet they lack the massive municipal funding required for conventional underground sewer systems and large-scale Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). The ideal bridge solution is the implementation of Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS). DEWATS are highly engineered but mechanically simple setups that rely entirely on gravity and biological processes, requiring zero electricity. Sewage flows through a series of underground baffled reactors where anaerobic bacteria break down the waste, followed by planted gravel filters for secondary aerobic treatment. Because there are no moving parts, pumps, or chemical requirements, the operation and maintenance costs are practically zero. This makes DEWATS the perfect, financially viable, and scalable solution for managing the high-volume wastewater of peri-urban clusters.
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1 day 19 hours ago
Untreated greywater and agricultural runoff frequently flow into small rural nallahs, eventually polluting larger rivers. To combat this without expensive, energy-intensive water treatment plants, villages can deploy floating treatment wetlands. This solution relies on constructing simple floating rafts using locally abundant, buoyant materials like bamboo, coir, and discarded plastic bottles. These rafts are then densely planted with native hyper-accumulator plant species, such as Vetiver, Canna, or Water Hyacinth. As these rafts float in the nallahs, the extensive root systems hang down into the flowing water, acting as dense natural bio-filters. They absorb excess nutrients, heavy metals, and organic pollutants directly from the water column while requiring zero electricity and minimal maintenance. This highly scalable, low-cost bio-remediation technique visually beautifies the water bodies while passively treating pollution before it reaches major river ecosystems.
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1 day 19 hours ago
Addressing the growing menace of single-use and multi-layered plastics in rural areas requires hyper-local solutions, as transporting low-value plastic to urban recycling centers is economically unfeasible. We can establish block-level micro-plastic upcycling hubs managed exclusively by Women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Equipped with open-source, low-tech machinery such as plastic shredders, extruders, and basic injection molders, these micro-factories allow SHGs to process plastic waste locally. They can instantly convert discarded wrappers and bottles into highly durable, utility-based products like interlocking paving tiles for village pathways, agricultural pots, or fencing materials. This model not only clears plastic from the rural environment but also transforms a hazardous waste stream into a direct source of micro-entrepreneurial income, fostering a localized circular economy that is entirely community-owned and financially self-sustaining.
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1 day 19 hours ago
The GOBARdhan initiative has successfully promoted decentralized composting, but maintaining optimal decomposition rates relies heavily on manual oversight, which often leads to inefficiencies or methane leakage. By integrating low-cost Internet of Things (IoT) sensors into community compost pits and biogas plants, we can digitize rural waste management. These affordable sensors continuously monitor critical parameters like internal temperature, moisture levels, and gas pressure. If a compost pit becomes too dry or requires turning to maintain aerobic digestion, the sensor automatically sends a localized SMS or push notification via the SBM app to the designated sanitation worker or Gram Panchayat official. This data-driven approach removes the guesswork from composting, accelerates the breakdown of organic waste, maximizes the yield of high-quality biogas and organic manure, and ensures that community-level waste infrastructure operates at peak efficiency year-round.
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