Swachh Bharat Kosh (SBK)

In the year 2014 the government launched the Swachh Bharat Kosh (SBK), in response to the call given by Hon’ble Prime Minister to achieve the objective of Swachh Bharat (clean India) by the year 2019, on the 150th year of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi through Swachh Bharat Mission.

The Swachh Bharat Kosh Operational Guidelines, 2014 provides major information regarding the SBK such as-

Objective of the Swachh Bharat Kosh

SWK is a fund that would be utilised to build toilets in schools, rural and urban areas in furtherance to achieve the objective of cleanliness across the country. It has been set up with the object to attract Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds from Corporate Sector and to get contribution from individuals and philanthropists to achieve the objective of Swachh Bharat Abhyan.

Governing Council

• The Swachh Bharat Kosh is to be administered by a Governing Council chaired by Secretary, Department of Expenditure.
• It is required that the Governing Council shall meet at least once every quarter, or sooner, if required, to assess the feasibility of funding the projects/activities proposed by the line Ministries.

Secretariat

The Governing Council is to be assisted by a division set up in the Department of Expenditure, which will serve as its secretariat, headed by an Administrator, at the Joint Secretary level.

Monitoring

• It requires for the close monitoring of the utilization of the funds received from the Kosh and requires placing of a quarterly progress report to the Governing Council and the Finance Minister.
• The progress of activities undertaken from the Kosh is to be reviewed by the Finance Minister on a quarterly basis and by the Prime Minister from time to time.

Admissible Activities

The 2014 guideline provides that the Kosh is to be used to achieve the objective of improving cleanliness levels in rural and urban areas, including in schools and might also extended to new innovative projects. The activities which are financed from the Kosh are as follows:-

1. Construction of community/individual toilets in rural areas, urban areas, in elementary, secondary and senior secondary government schools, aanganwaadis etc.,
2. Renovation and repair of dysfunctional community/individual toilets in elementary, secondary and senior secondary government schools and aanganwadis;
3. Construction activity for water supply to the constructed toilets;
4. Training and skill development to facilitate maintenance of constructed toilets and to ensure its inter-linkages with education on hygiene;
5. Other initiatives of improving sanitation and cleanliness in rural and urban areas including solid and liquid waste management;
6. Any other activity to improve sanitation in the country as decided by the Governing Council.

Proposing of Projects

The line Ministries are given the responsibility of proposing projects to the Governing Council pertaining to the above mentioned activities. The states can also apply for the funds of the Kosh through the respective line Ministries.

Implementation

• The guideline provides that the implementation of the projects/activities will be carried out by the already existing institutions at State, District, and Sub District level.
• The costing of projects will be guided by the prevalent cost norms of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) of similar nature and that is how it will be helpful in deciding the cost estimates of the projects to be financed from the Kosh.