Swachh Bharat Mission is also a shining example of the philosophy of ‘Antyodaya Se Sarvodaya’. SHS-2023 was launched by Minister of Jal Shakti.

As a run up to Swachh Bharat Diwas on 2nd October, 2023, a day that the nation celebrates the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and Dept. of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti are organizing the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ fortnight 15th September to 2nd October, 2023, in collaboration with other Ministries, to celebrate 9 years of Swachh Bharat Mission.

The backbone of the Mission has been jan andolan for swachhata. The theme for SHS 2023 is “Garbage Free India”.

SHS-2023 will focus on achieving visibly higher order of cleanliness across local bodies through the spirit of voluntarism and shramdaan, as well as on the welfare of SafaiMitras.

Following are the key activities to be organized under SHS- 2023:

1. Swachhata Hi Seva – Fortnight long Cleanliness Drives

Swachhata will reverberate in the air this fortnight as everyone will fight against garbage with massive cleaning drives & innovative and unique methods of awareness for ‘twin bin’ and source segregation. As a part of SHS 2023, all Government of India Ministries, PSUs, State Govts. and local bodies will be organizing massive cleanliness drives across various locations. The inter-sectoral activities will be cleaning of high footfall tourist spots/ pilgrim sites under Tourism Ministry, ‘Har Pathri Saaf Suthari’ cleanliness activities of railway platforms and adjacent areas by Railways, Dept of Higher Education & School Education will involve universities and school students for SHS activities, while MoPNG will organize cleanliness and awareness drives across petrol pumps etc.

2. Indian Swachhata League 2.0

The second edition of the first-of-its-kind ‘India Swachhata League’ is all set to take the nation by a storm. Led by the youth, the Season 2 of ISL promises to be even more exciting and fun-filled cleanliness league. More than 4,000 city teams are ready to win the battle against garbage on the 17^th of September through youth-led citizen teams. This year, city teams will rally to clean beaches, hills, and tourist places. ISL 2.0 will mobilize youth groups at scale to take sustained ownership for swachhata this fortnight. The swachhata league will act as a catalyst for youth action under Swachh Bharat Mission

3. SafaiMitra Suraksha Shivir

As we complete nine years of Swachh Bharat Mission- Urban and two years of SBM-U 2.0 and to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, single window welfare camps in the form of SafaiMitra Suraksha Shivir will be organized by various cities across the nation from 17th September 2023 onwards. These Shivirs are aimed at saturating welfare schemes for sanitation workers and their dependents and improving their well-being and quality of life. The objective of the shivir is to target all sanitation workers in Solid Waste Management (SWM) & Used Water Management (UWM). The key activities will focus on mass awareness, preventive health checkups, yoga shivirs and extending entitlement of various welfare benefits of central and state Schemes in convergence with various ministries. This saturation approach for administering welfare schemes will help enhance safety, and well-being and provide social protection to sanitation workers.

Activities proposed for States / Districts / Blocks to organise SHS from 15th September 2023 to 2nd October 2023 are as follows:-

• Removal of garbage from all important places
• Repair, painting, cleaning and branding of all sanitation assets like litter bins, public toilets, dhalaos, waste transport vehicles, MRFs etc. in the area;
• Assist in drives to clean riverbanks and removal of waste (including plastic) from water bodies especially in Ganga Grams and Ganga Towns;
• Cleaning of zoos, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries etc. under MoEFCC along with regulation of plastic materials into protected areas to prevent littering;
• Cleanliness drives of tourist spots, ASI protected monuments along with IEC initiatives to discourage usage of single-use plastic items, saturating dry and wet waste bins in line with the Hara Geela Sookha Neela campaign, etc.;
• Cleanliness drives in Cantonment Board areas along with IEC campaigns encouraging alternatives to Single Use Plastic (SUP);
• Cleanliness drives and awareness activities may be taken up in schools with children understanding the importance of waste segregation at source, a journey of waste, waste to wealth, and alternatives to SUP. Where possible Sanitation Clubs may be formed at schools/colleges;
• Under the campaign of ‘Har Patri Saaf Sutri’ cleaning of all assets under Railways including railway tracks, railway stations, colonies, hospitals etc.; and
• Conducting special programs, and cultural events promoting the sanitation journey of the country.

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