NEW DELHI: The Union Government has launched a nationwide rural sanitation survey aimed at providing a national ranking for all States, Union Territories, and Districts of India.
Union Minister of Jal Shakti, C R Patil, inaugurated the Swachh Survekshan Grameen (SSG) 2025. He stated that the survey will measure the impact of India’s flagship cleanliness programs, Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).
The survey will rigorously assess the current state of rural sanitation, focusing on sustaining the outcomes achieved under the Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus Model, as established by the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G). The assessment will include sampling village evaluations, surveying households and public places to gauge their status based on various cleanliness parameters.
This includes the functionality of Plastic Waste Management Units (PWMU), Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) plants, GOBARdhan plants, citizen feedback, and Swachhata Green Leaf Rating (SGLR) sites.
During the event, Patil emphasised to all States the importance of maintaining cleanliness, stating that it is not a one-time goal but a continuous journey. He urged States and Union Territories to share their innovations and best practices under the schemes.
“As we work towards a Viksit Bharat, sanitation must remain a sustained, people-led effort powered by true Jan Bhagidari,” he said.
The main objective of the survey is to provide a national ranking for all States, Union Territories, and Districts of India based on the quantitative and qualitative sanitation parameters outlined under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM-II).
The survey will verify the status of Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus Model villages, schools, public buildings, Common Service Centers (CSCs), and institutions. It will also assess the functionality of sanitation infrastructure, including Plastic Waste Management Units, GOBARdhan plants, and Faecal Sludge Management systems across districts and states.
The Department of Drinking Water Supply has engaged an independent agency to conduct the survey.
In the coming months, the collective efforts of Panchayats, local leaders, frontline workers, and citizens will shape the sanitation narrative of rural India, bringing the nation closer to its goal of a Swachh Bharat, Patil concluded.