YOJANA October 2024

Key Benefits of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM):

The study analyzed data from 35 Indian states and 640 districts over a decade (2011-2020), focusing on infant mortality rate (IMR) and under-five mortality rate (U5MR) per thousand live births. Using two-way fixed effects regression models, the research controlled for various sociodemographic, wealth, and healthcarerelated confounders at the district level. This approach ensured a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between improvements in sanitation and reductions in child mortality.

• Inverse Association Between Toilet Access and Child Mortality: The study identified a strong inverse relationship between toilet access and child mortality rates in India.
• Scale of Impact: Since the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) launched in 2014, over 117 million toilets have been constructed with a public investment exceeding Rs 1.4 lakh crore.

The analysis indicates that a 10-percentage point increase in district-level toilet access corresponds to a reduction in infant mortality rate (IMR) by 0.9 points and under-five mortality rate (U5MR) by 1.1 points.

• Notably, districts with over 30% toilet coverage saw reductions of 5.3 in IMR and 6.8 in U5MR per thousand live births, translating to an estimated annual saving of 60,000 to 70,000 infant lives.
• SBM’s Unique Approach: SBM’s strategy, which combines toilet construction with significant investments in Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) and community engagement, marks a departure from previous sanitation efforts. The program has shown a transformative impact on public health outcomes by reducing exposure to faecal-oral pathogens, thus lowering incidences of diarrhoea and malnutrition—key contributors to child mortality in India.

Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) Campaign 2024

• Campaign Overview: The SHS campaign, celebrating a decade of initiative, will run from September 17 to October 2, 2024, under the leadership of Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal.
• Objectives: The campaign focuses on mobilizing public participation (Jan Bhagidari), achieving sustainable cleanliness, and recognizing the role of sanitation workers (Safai Mitras).
• Achievements of SHS 2023:
• Over 109 crore individuals participated, with 53 crore contributing through ‘Shramdaan for Swachhata.’
• Key accomplishments included cleaning 7,611 beaches, revitalizing 6,371 riverbanks, and restoring over 1,23,840 public spaces.
• The SHS campaign highlights the significant impact of community engagement in enhancing sanitation and cleanliness in India.

Ganga Action Plan (GAP):

The Ganga Action Plan (GAP), launched in 1986 under PM Rajiv Gandhi, aimed to reduce pollution in the Ganga by setting up sewage treatment plants and controlling industrial effluents.

• Despite completing 652 projects and building 35 treatment plants, the plan faced challenges like inadequate infrastructure, poor governance, and limited public awareness.
• Its short-term improvements were not sustained, but GAP laid the foundation for future initiatives like the Namami Gange Programme, highlighting the need for stronger public involvement in river conservation.

Namami Gange Mission:

It was launched in June 2014 with a budget of ₹20,000 crore, is an integrated conservation mission aimed at reducing pollution and rejuvenating the Ganga River.

• It focuses on the twin goals of restoring the river’s continuous flow (Aviral Dhara) and clean flow (Nirmal Dhara), along with protecting geological and ecological features.
• The Ministry of Jal Shakti oversees its implementation.
• Key initiatives include the construction of 815 sewage treatment plants, river-surface cleaning, afforestation, biodiversity conservation, and public awareness.
• Community engagement is promoted through platforms like Ganga Vichar Manch, and several projects on riverfront development and aquatic species restoration have been undertaken.
• By 2021, the program achieved significant milestones, including the approval of 200 sewerage projects worth ₹31,810 crore, with 116 implemented successfully.

Challenges in Cleaning the River Ganga

• Sewage Treatment: Delays in new sewage treatment projects due to land acquisition and procedural hurdles, coupled with poor performance of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and inadequate sewerage networks in cities, allow industries to easily dispose of waste into common drains, exacerbating pollution due to lax regulatory enforcement.
• Restoring the Flow: The Ganga’s self-purifying capacity is compromised, with sufficient flow essential for purification occurring only during monsoons.
• Decreased water flow results in reduced velocity and increased siltation, further diminishing the river’s ability to self-purify.
• Sludge Control: Although the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) has improved containment of human waste in Ganga Gram areas, safe disposal of faecal sludge remains a major challenge, as it is a more significant pollutant than sewage, having a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of 15,000-30,000 mg/l compared to 150-300 mg/l for sewage.
• Cost Overruns: Increased costs due to delays in project implementation and ineffective financial management impact the overall effectiveness of the cleaning initiatives.
• Governance Issues: Lack of coordination among various ministries hinders the execution of Ganga Action Plans, resulting in delays and budget overruns.

Solutions and Way Forward:

• Establishing an Autonomous Agency: The National Ganga Council (NGC) should operate as an autonomous body independent of government influence. It should be composed of environmental experts with extensive knowledge of the Ganga rather than solely bureaucrats, ensuring more relevant experience and effective decision-making.
• Enhancing Water Flow: The designs of hydroelectric projects should be modified to minimize water consumption, thereby increasing water flow downstream. Although this may increase project costs, it is essential for the long-term preservation and restoration of the Ganga’s self-purifying capabilities.
• Improving Coordination: The National Ganga Council should convene more frequently to enhance collaboration among ministries and between the Union and State Governments, ensuring a more cohesive approach to Ganga rejuvenation.
• Decentralization: Critics suggest that the current program is overly centralized, primarily driven by the Union Government. Greater involvement of State and Local Governments through a bottom-up approach can lead to more effective implementation and local ownership of the cleaning initiatives.
• Initiatives by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG): The NMCG should pursue various initiatives for Ganga rejuvenation, such as establishing decentralized sewage treatment plants (dSTPs), developing local water storage solutions (like ponds and wetlands), protecting ‘river corridors,’ and restoring base flow through groundwater recharge methods.

Linear and Circular Economic Systems

The linear economic system follows a ‘take-make-waste’ model, extracting raw materials to produce goods that are discarded as waste at the end of their lifecycle.

• This unsustainable approach leads to resource depletion, environmental degradation, and significant waste generation, exacerbated by rising population and urbanization.
• In contrast, the circular economy aims to minimize waste and pollution through a ‘closed-loop system.’ It focuses on extending product life, maximizing reuse and recycling, and reducing the use of virgin resources.
• This approach ensures that materials remain in use, recycling any unavoidable waste, and considers the environmental and social impacts of economic activities.

Importance of the Construction Sector in India

• The construction sector in India accounts for around 20% of total material demand and contributes over 8% to GDP.
• It is expected to become the third largest globally, driven by rapid urbanization and a housing shortage projected to reach 38 million units by 2030. India needs to build 700-900 million square meters of new commercial and residential space annually.
• Government initiatives like the Smart Cities Mission and the Swachh Bharat Mission are enhancing urban infrastructure investment, with an estimated need for Rs 77 lakh crore (US$ 1.2 trillion) by 2030.
• However, the sector generates significant construction and demolition (C&D) waste, comprising onethird of total solid waste and one-fourth of municipal solid waste.
• Recycling C&D waste can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% compared to virgin materials, presenting economic and environmental benefits

General Composition of Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste

India generates approximately 12 million tonnes of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste annually, accounting for 20-25% of total municipal solid waste (MSW).

• The composition of C&D waste varies by city and region, but a typical urban mix includes: Soil, sand, and gravel: 47%, Bricks and masonry: 32%, Concrete: 7%, Metal: 6%, Wood: 3% and Others: 5%.
• Materials like bricks, tiles, wood, and metals are often sold for reuse or recycling, while the remaining waste typically ends up in landfills.

Potential of C&D Waste for Circularity

Managing Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste effectively offers several environmental and societal benefits:

• Reducing environmental impact: Recycling C&D waste lowers the demand for natural resources, minimizing the environmental damage from extraction. It also cuts greenhouse gas emissions by reducing reliance on landfilling and incineration.
• Reducing waste disposal space: Proper C&D waste management decreases the need for disposal space, mitigating safety risks associated with landfills.
• Reducing raw material imports: Reusing and recycling C&D waste reduces dependence on imported raw materials for construction.
• Conserving resources: Managing C&D waste helps conserve vital resources and minerals.
• Promoting recycled products: Effective C&D waste management encourages the use of recycled materials in construction and infrastructure projects, supporting sustainability.

Conclusion

The circular economy in the construction sector reduces raw material use, waste, and costs, while improving construction quality and sustainability. By 2050, adopting circular practices could generate Rs 4.9 lakh crore (US$ 76 billion) in annual benefits and significantly cut resource use and greenhouse gas emissions. The C&D Waste Management Rules, 2016, support this shift, making it an ideal time for India to embrace circular economy principles across sectors.

Biofuels types:

1. Ethanol: Produced from crops like corn and sugarcane, ethanol is commonly used as a gasoline additive to reduce emissions and enhance fuel efficiency.

2. Biodiesel: Derived from vegetable oils or animal fats, biodiesel can directly replace conventional diesel in vehicles without major modifications.

• As the world’s third-largest energy consumer, India’s commitment to achieving sustainable energy through biofuels is not only vital for national energy security but also aligns with global efforts to combat climate change.
• India’s biofuel journey began in the early 2000s, marked by the initiation of a 5% ethanol blending pilot program in 2001.
• The National Policy on Biofuels, introduced in 2009 and revised in 2018 and 2022, has set ambitious targets, including a goal of 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025. This policy framework has laid the groundwork for the promotion of diverse biofuels, including those from non-food feedstocks.

• Additionally, initiatives like Make in India are fostering domestic biofuel production, creating investment and innovation opportunities. These efforts are part of India’s broader goals of achieving energy independence by 2047 and carbon neutrality in the coming decades.

Current Biofuel Landscape

• India has approximately 500 million tons of biomass available annually, with 120 to 150 million tons surplus for energy production.
• Biofuels contribute about 12.83% of total renewable energy generation, highlighting their significance in reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
• Major public sector undertakings, such as Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), are investing heavily in biofuel research and production.
• Initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana encourages private sector participation in sustainable aviation fuel and second-generation biofuel production.

Challenges Facing the Biofuel Sector

• Dependence on First-Generation (1G) Ethanol: India’s target of achieving 20% ethanol blending with petrol (E20) by 2025-26 is primarily reliant on 1G ethanol produced from sugarcane and food grains, which raises sustainability concerns.
• Supply Chain Bottlenecks: The contribution of Second-Generation (2G) ethanol to the E20 target is limited due to challenges in the feedstock supply chain and difficulties in scaling up production.
• Food Security Concerns: With stagnating crop yields and the anticipated impacts of global warming on agriculture, India’s strategy for meeting blending targets cannot solely rely on surplus crop production.
• Groundwater Depletion: A recent study by the University of Michigan indicates that groundwater depletion rates could triple between 2040 and 2081, posing a significant challenge to sustainable biofuel production.
• Increase in Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The increase in greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture for fuel production raises sustainability concerns and contradicts environmental goals.
• Reliance on Sugarcane: The focus on sugarcane as a primary feedstock is influenced more by government policies than by market dynamics, complicating diversification efforts.
• Economies of Scale: Achieving economies of scale while addressing the energy needs and costs of biomass collection and transportation over long distances remains a significant challenge.

Prospects and Opportunities

• Government Initiatives: The Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, with an allocation of INR 1,969 crore, aims to support integrated bioethanol projects using lignocellulosic biomass.
• Global Collaborations: India’s leadership in the Global Biofuels Alliance fosters international cooperation, enhancing biofuel expertise and promoting global adoption.
• Economic Growth: A robust biofuel industry can create jobs, stimulate investments, and support rural economies, contributing significantly to national GDP.

Recommendations

• Policy Integration: Aligning policies across sectors can create a supportive environment for biofuel development.
• R&D Investment: Prioritizing research on second and third-generation biofuels can bridge technological gaps.
• Collaborative Innovation: Partnerships between industry and academic institutions can drive innovation and address socio-economic implications.

Conclusion

India stands at the cusp of a biofuel revolution, with the potential to achieve its blending targets and emerge as a global hub for biofuel research and innovation. By balancing the opportunities and challenges, India can significantly reduce its carbon footprint, enhance energy security, and drive economic growth. The call to action is clear: stakeholders must champion innovation, foster collaborations, and ensure that the biofuel sector flourishes, setting a global benchmark in renewable energy endeavors.

Mains Practice Question: - (in around 250 words)

Q1. Discuss the role of biofuels in India’s energy security and environmental sustainability. What are the challenges faced in their production and utilization?

Q2. Evaluate the impact of the Swachh Bharat Mission on public health and sanitation in India. What challenges remain in achieving the mission’s objectives?

Q3. Discuss the concept of a circular economy and its significance in achieving sustainable development goals. How does it differ from the traditional linear economy model?