Vruthi Campaign
Kartavya Desk Staff
Context: Kerala launched the ‘Vruthi’ campaign in October 2024 to combat the rising waste crisis through mass public participation and decentralized solutions.
• The recent ‘Clean Kerala Conclave 2025’ showcased innovative practices and collective achievements in waste management.
About Vruthi Campaign:
• What is Vruthi?
• ‘Vruthi’ means cleanliness of body and mind. It is a statewide behavioural change campaign for garbage-free Kerala. Part of the ‘Malinya Muktham Nava Keralam’ mission.
• ‘Vruthi’ means cleanliness of body and mind.
• It is a statewide behavioural change campaign for garbage-free Kerala.
• Part of the ‘Malinya Muktham Nava Keralam’ mission.
• Key Features:
• Involves all societal levels — from the Chief Minister to sanitation workers. Mobilises Haritha Karmasena, youth, schools, artists, and local bodies. Focuses on technology-neutral and context-specific solutions like composting, local segregation, etc. Encourages competition among local bodies for achieving 100% garbage-free status.
• Involves all societal levels — from the Chief Minister to sanitation workers.
• Mobilises Haritha Karmasena, youth, schools, artists, and local bodies.
• Focuses on technology-neutral and context-specific solutions like composting, local segregation, etc.
• Encourages competition among local bodies for achieving 100% garbage-free status.
• Significance:
• Shifted Kerala’s waste collection coverage from 40% to 75% of households in just one year. Tackles the post-liberalisation waste boom driven by urbanisation and plastic use. Demonstrates the power of decentralised governance and people’s participation in environmental solutions.
• Shifted Kerala’s waste collection coverage from 40% to 75% of households in just one year.
• Tackles the post-liberalisation waste boom driven by urbanisation and plastic use.
• Demonstrates the power of decentralised governance and people’s participation in environmental solutions.
Relevance in UPSC Exam Syllabus:
• General Studies (GS) Paper II: Governance: Decentralized waste management, role of local bodies (Panchayati Raj Institutions), and people’s participation. Government Policies & Interventions: ‘Malinya Muktham Nava Keralam’ mission and its impact.
• Governance: Decentralized waste management, role of local bodies (Panchayati Raj Institutions), and people’s participation.
• Government Policies & Interventions: ‘Malinya Muktham Nava Keralam’ mission and its impact.
• GS Paper III: Environment & Ecology: Waste management, plastic pollution, and sustainable urbanisation. Disaster Management: Tackling waste crisis as an environmental challenge.
• Environment & Ecology: Waste management, plastic pollution, and sustainable urbanisation.
• Disaster Management: Tackling waste crisis as an environmental challenge.
• Essay & Ethics (GS Paper IV): Behavioural Change: Public participation, community-driven initiatives, and Swachh Bharat linkages. Case Study: Kerala’s model of decentralized governance in waste management.
• Behavioural Change: Public participation, community-driven initiatives, and Swachh Bharat linkages.
• Case Study: Kerala’s model of decentralized governance in waste management.