India will launch the ninth edition of its “Swachhata Hi Seva” campaign on Sept. 17, aiming to mobilize millions of citizens in mass drives for public cleanliness across the country, the government said on Monday.
The 15-day campaign, led by the ministries of Jal Shakti and Housing and Urban Affairs, will culminate on Oct. 2, Gandhi Jayanti. The initiative will focus on dark, dirty, and neglected areas known as Cleanliness Target Units, officials said.
Mass Participation and Milestones
Union Minister of Jal Shakti C.R. Patil said SHS 2025 will build on the achievements of the Swachh Bharat Mission, launched in 2014. He highlighted that more than 12 crore toilets have been built, cutting open defecation and improving women’s safety.
Citing a World Health Organization report, Patil said nearly 300,000 children’s lives have been saved from diseases linked to open defecation. “When the mission began, only 37 percent of households had toilets. Today, more than 12 crore families have access,” he said.
The campaign period coincides with key dates including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on Sept. 17, the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay on Sept. 25, and Gandhi Jayanti and Lal Bahadur Shastri’s birth anniversary on Oct. 2.
Fund for Sanitation Workers
Patil announced an ₹8–10 crore ($908,207 to $1.13 million) SafaiMitra Suraksha Fund for sanitation workers in Surat and Navsari. The fund will cover welfare measures, including educational support and interest-free loans, for their families.
He also stressed on plastic-free villages and said a one-hour nationwide cleanliness drive will be held on Sept. 25 to mark Upadhyay’s birth anniversary.
Focus on Dirty Spots
Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal said the campaign will again prioritize CTUs, which include garbage dumps, railway stations, riversides and back lanes. In 2024, over 800,000 such sites were cleaned and turned into usable spaces.
“Identification, transformation and beautification of CTUs will happen on fast-track mode beyond the campaign period,” Lal said. “Cleanliness and beauty go hand in hand.” He added that the goal was not just temporary cleanups but sustainable improvements in public cleanliness.
Theme of Festive Cleanliness
Ashok K.K. Meena, secretary of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, said this year’s theme, “Swachhotsav,” will align cleanliness with India’s festive season. The campaign will push eco-friendly and zero-waste celebrations while strengthening awareness about public cleanliness in communities.
Officials said a series of preparatory meetings were held this month with state governments, local bodies and central ministries. A high-level review chaired by the cabinet secretary took place on Sept. 10. Coordination committees at all levels began work last week to ensure smooth execution of the nationwide public cleanliness drive.
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