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March 28 : Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal, chaired a meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). The primary agenda of the meeting was to review the progress and future roadmap of the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0).
The meeting saw the participation of several key officials, including Shri Tokhan Sahu, Minister of State for Housing & Urban Affairs; Shri Srinivas Kathikala, Secretary, MoHUA; senior ministry officials; and Members of Parliament from both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. Ms. Roopa Mishra, Joint Secretary (SBM), MoHUA, provided a comprehensive presentation on the Swachh Bharat Mission and its urban focus.
In his opening remarks, Shri Manohar Lal praised the remarkable achievements of the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban since its inception, particularly its transformative impact on urban sanitation across the nation. He emphasized that cleanliness is a continuous effort, not a one-time task, and it requires sustained innovation, public participation, and attention. The Minister underlined that the success of SBM-U has been pivotal in improving public health outcomes, especially in reducing child mortality rates and increasing sanitation access for women. He stressed the importance of behavioral change to ensure sustainable sanitation practices, as well as the need for infrastructure that is both functional and future-ready.
Highlighting best practices, Shri Manohar Lal cited Indore and Surat as shining examples of urban cleanliness and community-driven initiatives. He encouraged cities to adopt similar approaches and foster healthy competition to drive performance in urban sanitation.
Shri Tokhan Sahu further contributed by emphasizing the mission’s impact on reducing child mortality and enhancing overall cleanliness across the country. He acknowledged that the mission had played a significant role in instilling a strong sense of responsibility among citizens regarding cleanliness and maintaining their surroundings.
During the meeting, committee members provided their feedback and suggestions for the future direction of SBM-U. The Union Minister welcomed these contributions and assured that an Action Taken Report (ATR) would be presented in the next meeting to track progress and ensure accountability.
The meeting underscored the importance of collaboration, innovation, and community involvement in achieving the mission’s goals for urban sanitation, paving the way for further improvements across the country.