The Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Shri Manohar Lal chaired a meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs( MoHUA)  on 27 March 2025.

The agenda of the meeting was to review the progress and future roadmap of the Swachh Bharat Mission –Urban 2.0

The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Tokhan Sahu, Secretary, MoHUA, Shri Srinivas Kathikala, senior officials of the Ministry, and Members of Parliament from both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.Joint Secretary (SBM) , MoHUA , Ms Roopa Mishra gave a presentation on the topic.

In his opening remarks, the Union Minister lauded the achievements of SBM-U, noting its transformative impact on urban sanitation across the country. He underscored that cleanliness is not a one-time effort but a continuous process that demands sustained attention, innovation, and public participation.

Highlighting the Mission’s tangible outcomes, the Minister noted significant improvements in public health indicators, such as reduced child mortality rates and enhanced sanitation access for women. He emphasized the critical role of behavioral change in achieving sustainable sanitation goals and called for infrastructure that is not only functional but also future-ready.

The Minister urged the adoption of global best practices in urban sanitation and encouraged fostering healthy competition among cities to drive performance. He cited Indore and Surat as exemplary models of urban cleanliness and community-driven initiatives, inspiring other cities to follow suit.

Shri Tokhan Sahu highlighted that the Swachh Bharat Mission has played a vital role in reducing child mortality and ensuring visible improvements in cleanliness across the country. He further noted that the Mission has been instrumental in instilling a sense of responsibility among citizens towards maintaining cleanliness in their surroundings.

Committee members shared their views and suggestions on the way forward. The Hon’ble Minister welcomed these inputs and assured that an Action Taken Report (ATR) will be presented in the next meeting to ensure accountability and informed progress tracking.

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