Waste processing has improved substantially from 16 per cent in 2014 to 81 per cent in 2026 under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said.
It also said that 97 per cent of wards are now covered under door-to-door waste collection and communities are increasingly adopting source segregation through two-bin, four-bin and even six-bin systems.
According to the ministry, legacy waste remediation has also gained strong momentum, with 65 per cent of the 26 crore metric tons of waste across 2,482 dumpsites already remediated, reclaiming nearly 9,000 acres of valuable urban land.
“We need to focus on what we need to change, whether it is financial challenges, matching State/UT shares, resolving implementational bottlenecks like tendering delays, land allocation or augmenting institutional capacities. We have only 10 months to prepare a focussed plan and achieve allotted targets,” Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar said here.
“The Mission requires strong high-level ownership and detailed planning; please remember, the strength of the chain lies in the weakest link of the chain,” he said.
The Union Minister emphasized the need for state-wise mapping of key issues and challenges.
States have been directed by the ministry to update progress daily on the Swachhatam Portal to enable regular reviews and rigorous tracking.
The minister also stressed the importance of behavioural change, noting that “Swabhav Swachhata, Sanskar Swachhata” should be integrated into the curriculum.
He highlighted that strong political ownership, particularly among Chief Ministers, Union Development Ministers and other political representatives would be critical in accelerating implementation by providing the necessary push and achieving goals swiftly, particularly legacy dumpsite remediation.
With the new Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules coming into force from April 1, the evolving waste management landscape will require strategic interventions and strengthened institutional responsibilities at all levels.
From two-way source segregation to mandatory four-stream source segregation (wet, dry, sanitary and domestic hazardous); accountability of Bulk Waste Generators, enumeration, sensitisation and readiness; Polluters’ Pay Principle (user charges and enforcement); and Digital monitoring & transparent reporting through centralised unified portal, accountability will be sought, the ministry added.
