Sustaining Swachh Bharat gains must be India’s next sanitation priority: Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil
Industry must contribute technology, resources and expertise to build simple, locally appropriate and sustainable sanitation systems
NEW DELHI, 15 September 2026: Mr C R Patil, Minister of Jal Shakti, Government of India, today called for collective action to sustain the achievements of the Swachh Bharat Mission and urged industry, Gram Panchayats, civil society and citizens to play a stronger role in ensuring long-term sanitation outcomes.
Addressing the 10th FICCI-ISC Sanitation Awards and India Sanitation Conclave 2026, Mr Patil said the Prime Minister has transformed sanitation from merely a government programme into a people’s movement, bringing a significant change in attitudes and behaviour towards sanitation across the country.
“The Swachh Bharat Mission has brought about a major change in both people’s thinking and behaviour regarding sanitation in the country. Let us all work together to further strengthen the Prime Minister’s resolve for a clean, healthy and developed India,” he said. Emphasising the need to sustain these achievements, Mr Patil said government efforts alone would not be sufficient. “For villages to remain clean, waste to be properly managed and the systems created to continue functioning properly for a long time, the participation of Gram Panchayats, industry, social organisations and, most importantly, all our citizens is essential,” he said.
Calling upon industry to contribute its technology, resources and experience, the Minister added, “We need to create systems that are simple, suited to local needs and sustainable over the long term.”
The Conclave also highlighted the evolving priorities of India’s sanitation agenda. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) emphasised the shift towards end-to-end sanitation and waste management, including viewing wastewater as ‘used water’ that can be treated, recovered and reused. Stronger partnerships, technical support and systemic approaches will be critical to accelerating this transition.
The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, underscored the shift from infrastructure creation to sustained service delivery, with greater focus on operations and maintenance, capacity building and functionality of sanitation assets. Climate-resilient rural sanitation based on Reduce, Reuse and Recharge, along with improved biodegradable waste management, will be important for sustaining outcomes.
Dr R A Mashelkar, Former Director General, CSIR and Chair, Awards Jury, said India has made significant progress in sanitation, but the challenges ahead are becoming more complex and cannot be addressed through infrastructure alone.
“We need innovation that is relevant and affordable; technology that is inclusive; institutions that can deliver; business models that are sustainable; and partnerships that can take solutions from the laboratory to the field and, ultimately, to the last mile,” Dr Mashelkar said.
Ms Naina Lal Kidwai, Past President, FICCI and Chair, India Sanitation Coalition, said the 10th anniversary of the FICCI-ISC Sanitation Awards was both a significant milestone and an opportunity to shape the agenda for the coming decade.
“Ten years of the FICCI Sanitation Awards is a significant milestone. It allows us to recognise individuals, institutions and other stakeholders who have contributed to India’s sanitation journey. But it also helps us shape our agenda as we look ahead,” she said.
“After more than a decade of extraordinary progress, the question is no longer simply how much sanitation infrastructure India can create. The more important question is how we ensure that what we have created continues to work—every day, for every community and for the long term,” Ms Kidwai added.
Ms Jyoti Vij, Director General, FICCI, highlighted the importance of government-industry collaboration in building sustainable sanitation systems. “As India’s priorities evolve, the focus must now move from simply creating infrastructure to ensuring that systems are used, maintained, financially sustainable and environmentally responsible. Industry has a critical role to play by bringing technology, innovation, financing and management expertise, while government provides policy direction and scale. ISC provides the platform that brings these strengths together,” she added.
Ms Natasha Patel, CEO, India Sanitation Coalition, delivered the welcome remarks, highlighting ISC’s decade-long journey of bringing together government, industry, civil society and development partners to advance sustainable sanitation outcomes.
A key highlight of the event was the announcement of the 10th FICCI-ISC Sanitation Awards and Rashid Kidwai WASH Finance Awards, recognising individuals and organisations for leadership, innovation and impact across the sanitation and WASH ecosystem.
The India Sanitation Conclave 2026 brought together representatives from government, industry, civil society, development organisations and the private sector to deliberate on sustainable sanitation, solid and liquid waste management, climate resilience, circularity, innovation and financing.
As ISC marks 10 years of advancing the sanitation agenda, the Conclave reinforced the need to move from infrastructure creation towards sanitation systems that remain functional, financially viable, climate-resilient and sustainable over the long term.
