New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) The Swachh Bharat Mission signifies a fundamental transformation in India's pursuit of universal sanitation access and has revolutionised the hygiene practices of a substantial portion of the population, the Economic Survey said on Friday.

The latest Economic Survey tabled in Parliament on Friday underscored significant strides in water management and rural sanitation, with a focus on community participation, technological interventions, and sustainable practices.

The Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen Phase II, operational from 2020-21 to 2024-25, transitioned villages from Open Defecation Free (ODF) to ODF Plus status, it said.

As of November, 3.64 lakh villages have achieved ODF Plus status, ensuring solid and liquid waste management and maintaining cleanliness standards.

"The Swachh Bharat Mission, launched in 2014, signifies a fundamental transformation in India's pursuit of universal sanitation access and has revolutionised the hygiene practices of a substantial portion of the Indian population. The Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 integrates comprehensive waste management and sanitation practices aligned with sustainability and circular economy principles," the survey said.

It also highlighted successful community-driven waste management models.

The Erattayar gram panchayat in Kerala has implemented a door-to-door waste collection and recycling system, employing 30 women and generating Rs 2.5 lakh per month.

In Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara, a large-scale composting initiative using NADEP pits transformed waste into organic fertiliser, benefiting thousands of farmers and promoting sustainable agriculture.

With these initiatives, the Economic Survey underscored India's progress in ensuring water security and rural sanitation, setting the stage for a more sustainable and resilient future.

The Jal Shakti Abhiyan, launched in 2019 to tackle water stress, continued its mission in 2024 under the theme "Nari Shakti Se Jal Shakti".

This phase, which ran from March to November 2024, emphasised women's role in water conservation, incorporating measures such as rainwater harvesting, afforestation, and water body mapping.

Additionally, completion of the National Aquifer Mapping Project across 25 lakh square kilometres has provided state agencies with critical water conservation strategies.

In a bid to enhance transparency and efficiency in groundwater management, the Bhu-Neer portal, launched last September, serves as a central hub for regulating groundwater resources.

Meanwhile, Version 2.0 of the FloodWatch India app, introduced by the Central Water Commission, delivers real-time flood forecasts from 592 monitoring stations, aiding in better flood preparedness, the survey said.

State governments have also pioneered innovative water conservation projects.

Gujarat's Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative aims to build 24,800 rainwater harvesting structures to bolster water sustainability.

The Smart Laboratory on Clean Rivers in Varanasi, a collaboration under the India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership, is working towards rejuvenating the Varuna river.

Meghalaya's Mawrah Multipurpose Reservoir Project integrates rainwater conservation with groundwater recharge and environmental restoration while Chhattisgarh's Jal Jagar campaign promotes community-driven rainwater harvesting and wastewater management across 370 gram panchayats, engaging more 1.4 lakh people, including 80,389 women.

On the rural drinking water front, the Jal Jeevan Mission has significantly expanded access to safe drinking water. Since its launch in 2019, the number of rural households with tapwater connections has risen from 3.23 crore (17 per cent) to 15.30 crore (79.1 per cent) as of November.

Eight states -- Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Telangana and Mizoram -- along with three Union territories have achieved 100 per cent tapwater coverage.

The mission has also benefited households in arsenic and fluoride-affected areas, ensuring safe drinking water for more than 34 lakh families through Community Water Purification Plants, the Economic Survey said. PTI UZM UZM SZM SZM

Universal sanitation access advanced under Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0, integrating waste management and water security measures. The Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Phase II upgrades villages from open defecation free status to ODF Plus by institutionalising solid and liquid waste management and promoting community-driven recycling and composting models. Complementary measures include the Jal Shakti Abhiyan emphasising women's role in water conservation, National Aquifer Mapping for groundwater strategy, the Bhu Neer portal for groundwater regulation, FloodWatch India for real-time flood forecasts, state rainwater-harvesting and river-rejuvenation projects, and the Jal Jeevan Mission expanding rural tapwater connections and community purification plants.