Swachhata Knowledge Partners (SKPs)

Policy Update
Muskan Thakur

Background

India’s speedy urbanization has accelerated sanitation issues to the center stage, particularly in small cities and underdeveloped urban areas. It was to address this that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) introduced the Swachhata Knowledge Partners (SKPs) program in 2017 under the broader umbrella of Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U). The program seeks to establish a web of technical and knowledge-based providers of support that aid urban local bodies (ULBs) to enhance sanitation services.

With goals varying from enhanced planning to service support, SKPs assist municipalities in addressing challenges such as solid waste management, faecal sludge handling, and public education. Through the provision of expert recommendations, capacity development, and evidence-based methods, SKPs empower local governments to enhance service delivery and create community engagement.

The program is advantageous to municipal authorities, frontline staff, and citizens, primarily dwellers of slum settlements, by filling key sanitation deficits and encouraging sustainable behavior. With time, SKPs have emerged as one of the cornerstones propelling India towards the vision of having cleaner, healthier, and more habitable cities.

Functioning

Fundamentally, SKPs are knowledge facilitators. They are chosen under an open process of evaluating their technical skills, experience with sanitation projects, and capacity to assist local governments. After empanelment, they assist ULBs hand in hand by offering customized solutions and handholding support in developing sanitation strategies, drafting action plans, and creating local capacity.

Major responsibilities of SKPs include:

Developing city-specific sanitation plans and guidelines.
Providing training courses for municipal employees and sanitation workers.
Assisting public campaigns of awareness on waste segregation and sanitation.
Providing support for behaviour change activities at the community level.
Assisting cities to access central funds and meet national goals.

The operations of SKPs are facilitated by SBM-U funding. Dashboards and monitoring instruments are utilized to document progress and guarantee accountability. As solid as the framework is, coordination gaps, disparities in city capacity, and fund release delays have hampered efficiency in parts. Smaller cities and rural areas also tend to have limited access to the same degree of technical assistance, highlighting the imperative for increased decentralization.

Performance

350+ SKPs supporting ULBs across states and UTs.
4,500+ cities benefited from technical assistance.
1,800+ city sanitation plans developed.
75,000+ officials and sanitation workers trained.
1,200+ cities improved solid waste management.
320 faecal sludge management plans prepared, especially in smaller urban areas.
The budget increased from ₹450 crore (FY 2022-23) to ₹525 crore (FY 2023-24).

Challenges:

Fund utilisation at 72%.
Uneven coverage in some regions, particularly the northeast.
Limited community engagement in low-resource areas.

Impact

The contribution of SKPs extends beyond reports; it is visible in the way cities are embracing sanitation improvements.

Achievements are:

Enhanced sanitation planning has resulted in more effective waste collection systems.
Behavioural change campaigns have yielded improved segregation of waste in many cities. For example, 40% improvement in Indore’s segregation at source occurred between 2021 and 2023 following focused community programs.
Training and capacity-building activities have capacitated municipal officials to execute solutions successfully.
Standard reporting and digital dashboards have facilitated monitoring progress while also providing transparency.

However, while larger cities with stronger governance, like Indore, have shown visible progress, smaller towns and peri-urban areas still face challenges such as limited resources and institutional capacity. The impact of SKPs is real but uneven, with some cities having become models of clean living, while others continue to need stronger interventions.

Emerging Issues

Key concerns emerging from recent assessments:

Capacity Gaps: Many cities do not have enough trained personnel to fully benefit from SKP interventions.
Delays in Release of Funds: Funds are not always released on schedule even after they are earmarked.
Limited Reach: Behaviour change campaigns fail in low-literacy communities.
Issues in Monitoring: Accuracy of data and real-time reporting are weak across most locations.
Urban-Rural Gap: Peri-urban and small towns have no SKP outreach.

Way Forward

To make sanitation progress faster and more people-focused, cities that perform better can be rewarded with extra funding, supported by clear and transparent monitoring. Strong community engagement – through NGOs, local leaders, and influencers – can drive behaviour change where awareness is low. Simple mobile-based data tools can speed up reporting and action on the ground. Local knowledge hubs can train and equip communities to build and sustain their own solutions. Above all, the focus should be on combining technology with empathy and policy with people, so that sanitation efforts improve daily life for everyone.

References

Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability. (2023). India’s 2023-24 WASH budget: Gaps in fund utilisation despite hike in budget allocation. Retrieved from https://www.cbgaindia.org/blog/indias-2023-24-wash-budget-gaps-in-fund-utilisation-despite-hike-in-budget-allocation/
Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability. (2024). After Union Budget 2024-25: Evaluating progress and addressing gaps in integrated WASH financing. Retrieved from https://www.cbgaindia.org/our-team/after-union-budget-2024-25-evaluating-progress-and-addressing-gaps-in-integrated-wash-financing/
Comptroller and Auditor General of India. (2025). Performance audit report No. 1 of 2025: Solid waste management in urban areas. Government of India. Retrieved from https://cag.gov.in/webroot/uploads/download_audit_report/2025/Report-No.-1-UP-Solid-Waste-Mgt_English-_signed_20-06-2025-0689b2a336d2085.44753065.pdf
Ministry of Finance. (2024). Economic Survey 2023-24. Government of India. Retrieved from https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/budget2024-25/economicsurvey/doc/echapter.pdf
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. (2023). National Capacity Building Framework for Garbage-Free Cities. Retrieved from https://sbmurban.org/storage/app/media/pdf/National%20Capacity%20Building%20Framework%20%20SBM-U%202.0.pdf
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. (2023). Annual Report 2022-23. Retrieved from https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/2688HUA-ENGLISH-19-4-2023.pdf
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. (2024). Annual Report 2023-24. Government of India. Retrieved from https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/2688HUA-ENGLISH-19-4-2023.pdf
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. (2024). Monthly Report – January 2024. Government of India. Retrieved from https://mohua.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/Monthly-Report-Jan-2024-english.pdf
Press Information Bureau. (2024, April 10). Year end review 2024: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Government of India. Retrieved from https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2086464
Press Information Bureau. (2025, July 15). President confers Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 awards. Government of India. Retrieved from https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=2145461
Union Budget 2023-24. (2023). Expenditure profile 2023-2024. Retrieved from https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/budget2023-24/doc/eb/vol1.pdf

About the contributor:

Muskan Thakur is a Research Intern at IMPRI and a Master’s student in Economics at Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune.

Acknowledgement: The author extends her sincere gratitude to the IMPRI team and Ms. Aasthaba Jadeja for her invaluable guidance throughout the process.

Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organization.