The Swachh Bharat Mission, launched in 2014 with great enthusiasm, aimed to revolutionize cleanliness and hygiene across India. However, nearly a decade later, it remains a mission unfulfilled.
While the campaign is highly visible on Gandhi Jayanti, with political leaders and officials posing with brooms, its impact on the ground is inconsistent at best and non-existent in many areas.
The initiative started with a strong vision but soon fell victim to bureaucratic inefficiencies and mismanagement.
Funds were collected in the name of cleanliness, but their utilization remains opaque, raising questions about accountability.
In many places, there is no noticeable improvement, and the initiative feels like a symbolic exercise rather than a transformative one.
Citizens, particularly in urban areas, have resigned themselves to living with filth, while complaints from tourists highlight how far we are from achieving the mission's goals.
However, the blame doesn’t lie solely with the government. As a society, we share the responsibility for the failure.
Cities like Indore have shown that remarkable progress is possible when both the government and the public cooperate.
But across most of India, people’s apathy toward public spaces remains a significant challenge. Public places are treated as dumping grounds while private spaces are kept pristine.
The lack of strict rules and penalties for littering is another major issue. Without enforcement, people lack the fear or motivation to adopt cleaner habits.
At the same time, municipalities must also be held accountable for clearing drains and debris. Cleanliness requires mutual responsibility—a cultural shift that emphasizes individual accountability and strong civic action.
Swachh Bharat was a mission with great potential, but poor execution and societal neglect have turned it into a missed opportunity.
Unless both citizens and authorities rise to the occasion, this dream of a clean India will remain unfulfilled.
Madhunandan Akkishetty
