Over 5.63 Lakh Villages Covered with Liquid Waste Management Arrangements under SBM(G) Phase II

1. At a Glance

• 5,63,809 villages (out of 5,86,944 total) covered under Liquid Waste Management (LWM) as on 07.08.2026, under SBM(G) Phase II. [1]
• SBM(G) Phase II shifts focus from mere toilet access (ODF) to sustainability: Solid & Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) and visual cleanliness, i.e., moving villages from ODF to ODF Plus (Model). [1][2]
• High-frequency PIB scheme-monitoring topic — tests both static scheme architecture and current implementation numbers. Relevant for Prelims (numbers/nomenclature) and Mains GS-II/III (governance, sanitation, rural development).

2. Why in the News

• Ministry of Jal Shakti informed Parliament (Rajya Sabha/Lok Sabha) on 13 August 2026 that 5.63 lakh villages now have liquid waste management arrangements, and 42,98,194 community greywater management assets have been created nationwide. [1]
• Reply given by Minister of State Shri V. Somanna, based on data reported by States/UTs on the SBM(G) Integrated Management Information System (IMIS). [1]

3. Background & Evolution

• SBM (Grameen) Phase I: 2014–2019, focus on eliminating open defecation, achieved ODF status nationally (Oct 2019). [2]
• SBM(G) Phase II: Launched 1 April 2020, Cabinet-approved, runs through 2024–25 (financial period), with focus on ODF sustainability + SLWM. [1][2]
• Total outlay: Rs. 1,40,881 crore; of this, Rs. 52,497 crore from Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) budget; remainder dovetailed from 15th Finance Commission grants, MGNREGS, and revenue-generation models. [3]
• SLWM component monitored via four output-outcome pillars: plastic waste management, biodegradable/animal waste management, greywater management, and fecal sludge management. [3]

4. Core Static Facts

Item	Detail
Scheme	Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II
Type	Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)
Subject classification	Sanitation is a State subject; implemented by States/UTs
Nodal Ministry	Ministry of Jal Shakti
Nodal Department	Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS)
Monitoring platform	SBM(G) Integrated Management Information System (IMIS)
Launch date	1 April 2020
Total villages (denominator, as reported)	5,86,944
Villages covered with LWM	5,63,809 (as on 07.08.2026)
Community greywater management assets created	42,98,194
Community soak/leach/magic pits	25,50,998
Drainage facilities	14,77,238
Termination points	8,63,233
Community greywater treatment systems	2,69,958
Central financial norm	Rs. 280 per capita (villages ≤5,000 population); Rs. 660 per capita (villages >5,000 population)
Total scheme outlay	Rs. 1,40,881 crore
DDWS budgetary share	Rs. 52,497 crore (2020-21 to 2024-25)

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Social

• Reduces disease burden from stagnant greywater (vector breeding), disproportionately benefiting women and children in rural households. [1]
• Community-level infrastructure (soak pits, drainage) requires behavioural change and local participation — Gram Panchayat ownership critical.

Environmental

• Greywater management prevents groundwater and surface water contamination; complements Solid Waste Management to curb open dumping. [3]
• Convergence with MGNREGS for asset creation supports both employment generation and ecological infrastructure. [3]

Administrative / Governance

• Federal implementation challenge: Centre funds/monitors via IMIS, but execution and last-mile delivery rest with States/UTs and Panchayati Raj Institutions (sanitation being a State subject). [1]
• Convergence financing (15th FC grants + MGNREGS + revenue models) tests inter-departmental coordination capacity.

Economic

• Rs. 1,40,881 crore multi-year outlay represents significant rural infrastructure investment; per-capita funding norms differentiate small vs. large villages. [3]
• Asset creation (soak pits, treatment systems) generates rural livelihoods and local contractor/mason employment.

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 13 August 2026: Ministry of Jal Shakti reports 5.63 lakh villages covered under LWM and 42.98 lakh greywater assets created, via Parliament reply. [1]
• Continued incremental reporting trend: earlier PIB releases noted 5,22,462 villages covered (as on 17.03.2025) out of 5,86,788 — indicating steady month-on-month progress toward saturation. [1]

7. Prelims Hooks

• SBM(G) Phase II launched on 1 April 2020. [1]
• Implementing/nodal Department: Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, under Ministry of Jal Shakti (not Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs — that's SBM-Urban). [1]
• Sanitation is a State subject; SBM(G) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. [1]
• SBM(G) Phase II aims to convert villages from ODF to ODF Plus (Model) status. [1]
• Monitoring done via SBM(G) IMIS (Integrated Management Information System) based on States/UTs self-reporting. [1]
• As on 07.08.2026: 5,63,809 out of 5,86,944 villages covered with liquid waste management arrangements. [1]
• 42,98,194 community greywater management assets created nationally. [1]
• Central funding norm: Rs. 280/capita (≤5,000 population villages); Rs. 660/capita (>5,000 population villages). [1]
• Total SBM(G) Phase II outlay: Rs. 1,40,881 crore; DDWS share Rs. 52,497 crore (2020-21 to 2024-25). [3]
• SLWM has four monitored components: plastic waste, biodegradable/animal waste, greywater management, and fecal sludge management. [3]
• Convergent funding sources: 15th Finance Commission grants and MGNREGS. [3]
• Minister of State for Jal Shakti who gave the parliamentary reply on 13 Aug 2026: Shri V. Somanna. [1]

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors; issues arising from design and implementation of welfare schemes; Centre-State relations (sanitation as State subject, CSS structure).
• GS-III: Infrastructure — rural sanitation; environment — water pollution/waste management.
• Possible question stems: 1. "Discuss the shift in approach from ODF to ODF Plus under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II. What administrative and financial challenges does Solid & Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) implementation pose in rural India?" 2. "Sanitation is a State subject, yet SBM(G) is implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. Examine the federalism and coordination issues this creates, citing SBM(G) Phase II as an example." 3. "Evaluate the role of convergence financing (MGNREGS, Finance Commission grants) in sustaining rural sanitation infrastructure beyond toilet construction."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• SBM-Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 — parallel urban sanitation mission; useful for compare/contrast (Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs vs. Jal Shakti).
• Jal Jeevan Mission — same ministry (Jal Shakti/DDWS), rural water supply convergence.
• 15th Finance Commission grants to Panchayats — key funding conduit referenced here.
• MGNREGA — convergence mechanism for asset creation.
• ODF Plus Model villages criteria — deeper dive into classification (ODF Plus Aspiring/Rising/Model).
• Fecal Sludge and Septage Management (FSSM) policy — allied SLWM component.
• Panchayati Raj Institutions and 73rd Amendment — governance/federalism angle for implementation.
• Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 — regulatory backdrop for waste management generally.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Confusing SBM(G) (rural, Ministry of Jal Shakti/DDWS) with SBM-U (urban, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs) — different ministries and funding norms.
• Assuming SBM(G) Phase II is only about toilets — it's specifically about SLWM and ODF Plus sustainability, not initial toilet construction (that was Phase I).
• Misreporting the launch year — Phase II began 2020, not 2014 (that's Phase I/original SBM launch year).
• Treating "villages covered" figures as static — these are IMIS self-reported, continuously updated figures; always check the "as on" date before citing a number.
• Overlooking that sanitation is a State subject — Centre's role is scheme design, funding norms, and monitoring, not direct execution.