changeadminOn the morning of October 2, 2014, brooms swept across dusty lanes, plastic bottles were hauled from the drains, and the clatter of determination echoed in towns and villages alike. It was not just another cleanliness drive; it was the beginning of a national awakening.
Launched by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) sought to revamp more than just streets and sewers; it aimed to cleanse habits, reshape mindsets, and stitch dignity back into the fabric of daily life.
Conceived as a people’s movement, the Swachh Bharat (Clean India) has grown into a landmark campaign that redefined India’s approach to sanitation and public health.
Waste management has emerged as a central pillar of the Swachh Bharat Mission, marking a paradigm shift from mere disposal to sustainable utilisation of resources.
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban, India has scaled its waste processing capacity.
Waste Management Under Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-Urban)
India’s Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, aim for “zero waste to landfill” by mandating recycling, reuse, and the reclamation of old dumpsites through biomining and bioremediation.
Building on this framework, Urban India now processes 1,29,206.87 ton per day (TPD) of solid waste out of the 1,59,109.02 TPD generated.
This is a remarkable leap from just 16% waste processing in 2014 to over 81% today, powered by a growing network of Waste Processing Facilities such as Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), Transfer Stations, Composting Plants, Construction and Demolition (C&D), and Waste to Energy Plants, including Waste to Electricity, Bio-Methanation plants, etc.
Together, these efforts mark a decisive shift towards a cleaner, circular economy where waste is no longer a burden, but a resource for the future.
Simultaneously, the remediation of the dumpsite has transformed legacy landfills into eco-friendly and productive spaces. India’s war against legacy waste is slowly but surely rewriting the story of its landscapes.
Out of a massive 2,492 lakh tonnes of accumulated garbage, 1,437 lakh tonnes (58%) have already been remediated, breathing new life into choked lands.
This effort has not only cleared waste but also reclaimed over 7,646 acres of land, spaces that once groaned under mountains of refuse now hold the promise of green cover, public amenities, and renewed urban life.
Dumpsite Redemption Drive: From Landfill to Livelihood
Across India, towering landfills are giving way to cleaner, greener spaces as a nationwide effort to remediate dumpsites accelerates. As of now, out of 2,476 dumpsites identified nationwide under SBM-Urban, 1,041 have been remediated, while work is approved or underway at another 1,020.
Intensifying its mission to reclaim mountains of waste, Delhi’s Bhalswa landfill, extending across 70 acres, is emerging as a beacon of waste-to-wealth innovation.
Under the Swachhata Hi Seva 2025 campaign, the Bhalswa landfill site has been adopted for its remediation and transformation into a cleaner, more sustainable urban space. Twenty-five acres of legacy waste at this site have already been remediated, including 5 acres now flourishing with bamboo plantations and 20 acres set aside for sanitation facilities and waste-processing units.
Rajkot has transformed a 16 lakh tonne legacy dumpsite into a thriving 20-acre urban forest, a striking example of how Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban is turning waste-choked landfills into green lungs for the city.
These milestones reflect the Swachh Bharat Mission’s larger push to transform dumpsites into clean, livable spaces across the country.
Stories of Change: Swachh Bharat in Action
Over the last 10 years, the impact of Swachh Bharat has been reflected in the transformative changes witnessed across the country.
As of September 2025, over 12 crore toilets have been constructed across the country, driving a sharp reduction in open defecation and enhancing the safety and dignity of women.
According to a World Health Report, this shift has helped save nearly 3 lakh children under the age of five from diseases linked to poor sanitation, marking a significant stride in public health and quality of life.
Across India, different states are writing their own chapters of change. Among many others are these success stories of the Swachh Bharat Mission, showcasing innovation and community spirit.
Jammu & Kashmir: Amarnath Yatra 2025 makes Faith Meet Swachhata
This year’s Amarnath Yatra was not only a spiritual journey but also a model of sustainability. With over four lakh devotees trekking to the holy cave in the Himalayas, the pilgrimage turned into a zero-landfill, plastic-free mission, echoing the goals of Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban (SBM-U) 2.0.
A robust waste management system processed nearly 11.67 metric tons of waste daily. Over 1,000 twin-bin stations, 65 garbage collection vehicles, and 1,300 SafaiMitras kept the route clean around the clock.
Single-use plastics were eliminated from langars, replaced by cloth and jute bags. Pilgrims also experienced improved sanitation, with 1,600 mobile toilets, QR-based feedback, and 100% treatment of faecal sludge.
More than 70,000 yatris took the Green Pledge, turning personal devotion into civic responsibility. By marrying faith with sustainability, the 2025 Amarnath Yatra demonstrated that large-scale religious gatherings can set the benchmark for eco-conscious, zero-waste pilgrimages, marking a true success story under the Swachh Bharat initiative.
Assam Leads a Green Swachhata Drive
In Assam’s flood-prone Morigaon district, 60 women from Borchila village have turned the problem of excess water hyacinth into an opportunity, crafting eco-friendly handicrafts that now earn them at least ₹10,000 a month each.
What was once an invasive weed, choking rivers and hampering activities such as fishing, transportation, and recreation, making these water sources less viable, is now a source of livelihood and dignity.
Meanwhile, in Guwahati, two young innovators, Rupankar Bhattacharjee and Aniket Dhar, launched Kumbhi Kagaz, a venture producing 100% biodegradable, chemical-free paper from the same plant.
Their startup, which now employs nearly 40 women, won the Zero Waste Cities Challenge for offering a scalable, green solution to waste management.
In our conversation with Rupankar, co-founder of Kumbhi Kagaz, he explained his journey of starting this interesting business.
Together, these initiatives show how Northeastern states are redefining Swachhata and the circular economy by turning ecological challenges into sustainable livelihoods.
Uttar Pradesh: Turning Agra’s Toxic Dumpsite to Eco-Hub
Agra has scripted a remarkable transformation by turning its sprawling Kuberpur dumpsite into the Integrated Waste Management City of Agra, setting a national benchmark under SBM-U.
Once home to nearly 1.9 million metric tons of accumulated waste, the site was fully remediated by December 2024 through large-scale biomining and bioremediation, reclaiming 47 acres of land at an estimated cost of ₹320 crore.
The reclaimed space has been repurposed into a 10-acre greenery using the Miyawaki afforestation technique, a 5-acre modern sanitary landfill, and an eco-friendly zone, with work underway on another 10-acre urban forest.
In January 2025, the city introduced a 65-ton-per-day Material Recovery Facility and Plastic Waste Processing Plant, which recycles discarded plastic into affordable water pipes for farmers, thereby linking waste management with livelihood benefits.
Beyond infrastructure, the centre has emerged as an educational hub, drawing students, researchers, and innovators from across the country to study sustainable practices.
Agra’s bold initiative showcases how technology, governance, and citizen awareness can converge to reclaim land, cut pollution, and build a green, resilient urban future.
From Campaign to Culture
The Swachh Bharat Mission has evolved far beyond its initial symbolism. What began as a call to clean streets is now shaping how India approaches public health, women’s dignity, and environmental responsibility.
From garbage dumps and back lanes to crowded railway stations, riverbanks, and degraded lands, cities are mapping and tackling the very spaces that most visibly affect urban life. The message is clear: cleanliness is not only about removing waste, it is about reclaiming beauty in everyday surroundings.
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