Cleanliness Drive Across India To Be Launched on 17 September

India is set to launch the 9th edition of Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2025, under the aegis of Swachh Bharat Mission. Starting on 17th September and culminating on 2nd October, Gandhi Jayanti, the 15-day campaign will mobilise millions across the nation in a collective call to action for high-impact swachhata (cleanliness) drives.

Launched jointly by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), the event will bring citizens, communities, and institutions to drive visible cleanliness on the ground, with a focus on Cleanliness Target Units – dark, dirty and neglected spots.

Addressing the event, India’s Minister of Jal Shakti, Mr C.R. Patil, said,” Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, SHS 2025, under the theme of Swachhotsav, is an amalgamation of celebration with responsibility. Through the pillars of CTU transformation, SafaiMitra Suraksha, and a push for ODF Plus and Swachh Sujal Gaon declaration, plastic-free rural villages, the approach is designed towards ‘Antyodaya se Sarvodaya’, where the focus is on last-mile dignity, health, and sustainability for every village and town, which are prerequisites for a Viksit Bharat 2047.”

He added, “I urge citizens from all walks of life to participate wholeheartedly in the nationwide shramdaan on September 25, to demonstrate India’s resolve for a cleaner, healthier, and greener tomorrow.“

He noted that more than 12 crore toilets have been constructed across the country, leading to a sharp decline in open defecation and a major improvement in the safety and dignity of women. Citing a WHO report, he added that nearly 3 lakh lives of children under the age of five have been saved due to the reduction in open defecation-related diseases.

Mr Patil recalled that when the mission began, only 37 per cent of households had toilets, whereas today over 12 crore families have access to them. The Minister said SHS 2025 will be observed during a period marked by important dates, including the Prime Minister’s birthday on 17th September, the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay on 25th September, and the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri on 2nd October. He added that the Swachhata Utsav will continue till Diwali to encourage wider public participation.

The Minister announced a ₹8–10 crore SafaiMitra Suraksha Fund for Surat and Navsari, for welfare, educational support and interest-free loans to sanitation workers.

Mr Patil also emphasised the ministry’s efforts towards creating plastic-free villages and curbing the use of single-use plastic, announcing that as part of Swachhata Hi Seva on 25th September, a one-hour nationwide cleanliness drive will be undertaken to mark Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s birth anniversary.

Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Mr Manohar Lal, highlighted the focus on Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs) under Swachhata Hi Seva 2025, like last year. In 2024, over 8 lakh such CTUs were transformed and made usable public spaces.

He said, “Identification, transformation and beautification of CTUs will happen on a fast-track mode and beyond the campaign period for visible cleanliness on the ground. Cities are identifying CTUs – dark spots, neglected and hard-to-reach areas, and places with excessive waste such as garbage dumps, railway stations, rivers, degraded lands, back lanes, and heavily littered, dirty spots that need timely cleaning. These areas directly impact visible cleanliness, as cleanliness and beauty go hand in hand.“

Minister Manohar Lal announced the adoption of Delhi’s Bhalswa dumpsite for its transformation and beautification. He stated, “I will visit Bhalswa on 17th September 2025, accompanied by administrators, to review plans for waste remediation and processing. Starting from that day, we will initiate the cleanup process. Given the space constraints for further waste processing at the site, I have also requested the DDA to assist us in securing additional land.”

Secretary, Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Mr Ashok KK Meena, gave the SHS 2025 outline, where he shared that SHS 2025 is anchored around the theme of ‘Swachhotsav’, which will champion the spirit of cleanliness in harmony with the festive celebrations across the country.

Swachhotsav has been built around 5 key pillars

1. Transformation of Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs) – Eliminating difficult, dark and neglected spots
2. Clean Public Spaces –  general cleanliness and swachhata activities across public places
3. SafaiMitra Suraksha Shivir – Single-window Seva, Suraksha and Samman camps for health checkups and welfare of sanitation workers
4. Clean Green Festivities  – Eco-friendly and zero-waste celebrations
5. Advocacy for Swachhata  – disseminating the message of Swachhata with a focus on Gram Sabha for the declaration of ODF Plus Model and Swachh Sujal Gaon in rural India.

As part of Swachhata Hi Seva 2025, a nationwide voluntary shramdaan – “Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath” – will be organised on 25th September 2025. At the local level, efforts regarding the transformation of CTUs remain ongoing. Focus will be on on-ground shramdaan and plogging drives to be carried out by citizens, political leadership, SBM Ambassadors, youth groups, NGOs, CSOs, partner organisation representatives, and influencers. 

The campaign aims to harness the vibrant energy of the season, blending culture, community participation, and festive fervour, to set new benchmarks for eco-friendly and zero-waste celebrations.

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