Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 Campaign Begins With Theme 'Swachhata Mein Sahbhag, Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat'

Exam-focused facts from the 20 September 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

The Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign commenced on September 17, 2026, with the theme 'Swachhata Mein Sahbhag, Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat', announced by Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil.
The campaign launch coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday on September 17.
According to the minister, 5.25 lakh villages have been declared free of open defecation and 12.22 crore individual household toilets have been built in rural areas since 2014.
Over 18 crore citizens participated in the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign last year, of whom 14 crore were from rural areas.
The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation launched Swachh Seva Aankalan, under which gram panchayats will undertake self-assessment of rural sanitation service delivery under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen).