"Government Launches Digital Self-Assessment Framework for Rural Sanitation Under SBM-Gramin"
ODF Plus (Model)
The highest tier in the ODF Plus framework, indicating sustained open defecation-free status with functional waste management.
Swachh Seva Aankalan (SSA)
Annual digital self-assessment framework for rural sanitation at Gram Panchayat level under SBM-Gramin 2.0.
Sanitation governance in rural India is shaped by two overlapping frameworks: the constitutional mandate for local self-government and the programmatic architecture of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 gave Gram Panchayats a formal role in planning and implementing schemes related to public health, sanitation, and solid waste management. It also institutionalised the Gram Sabha as the primary forum for community accountability at the village level. These provisions created the legal basis for participatory sanitation governance, though actual devolution of functions, funds, and functionaries to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) has varied significantly across states.
SBM-Gramin, administered by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, was launched to eliminate open defecation and improve rural sanitation infrastructure. Its second phase, SBM-Gramin 2.0, shifted focus from toilet construction to sustaining open defecation-free (ODF) status and improving solid and liquid waste management. Alongside SBM, the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), implemented from 2021 to 2026, has worked to develop the governance capabilities of PRIs specifically to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with funding shared between the Centre and states rather than being fully centrally funded. Both SBM-Gramin 2.0 and RGSA reflect a broader policy recognition that durable sanitation outcomes require capable, accountable local institutions, not just infrastructure investment.
Swachh Seva Aankalan (SSA) is an annual, Gram Panchayat-level digital self-assessment framework developed by DDWS under SBM-Gramin 2.0. Its core purpose is to assess and monitor sanitation service delivery in rural areas through a structured, multi-tier evaluation process. The framework involves Gram Panchayats, Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs), Gram Sabhas, and district and state-level officials. This layered design is intended to ensure that assessment findings move upward through the system, from village to district to state, enabling corrective action at each level.
Under SSA, Gram Panchayats that have been declared ODF Plus (Model) conduct self-assessments covering three dimensions: sustainability of ODF status, visual cleanliness, and Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM). …
Which of the following statements with respect to the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) is/are correct?
1.The period of its implementation is 1st April, 2021 to 31st March, 2026.
2.The key objective of the Revamped RGSA is to develop the governance capabilities of the Panchayati Raj Institutions to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals.
3.The share of the Central funding for the Revamped RGSA is 100% for all States and Union Territories.
Select the answer using the code given below:
With reference to Swachh Seva Aankalan (SSA), consider the following statements:
1.It is an annual, Block-level digital self-assessment framework under SBM-Gramin 2.0.
2.Only Gram Panchayats declared ODF Plus (Model) are eligible to participate in SSA.
3.Findings of SSA are validated by the Gram Sabha before being reported to district authorities.
4.SSA covers assessment of ODF sustainability, visual cleanliness, and Solid and Liquid Waste Management.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Consider the following statements about the ODF Plus framework under SBM-Gramin 2.0:
1.ODF Plus (Model) is the highest tier in the ODF Plus framework.
2.Swachh Seva Aankalan (SSA) is designed for all Gram Panchayats regardless of their ODF Plus tier.
3.Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) are involved in conducting SSA alongside Gram Panchayats.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following correctly describes the constitutional basis explicitly cited for Swachh Seva Aankalan (SSA) under SBM-Gramin 2.0?
With reference to the institutional review chain under Swachh Seva Aankalan (SSA), which of the following is the correct sequence from field assessment to administrative review?
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