India has achieved a major milestone under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) Phase II, with 75% of its villages now achieving ODF Plus status. An ODF plus village is one that has maintained Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by implementing a solid or liquid waste management system. This achievement marks a significant step towards achieving the targets of Phase II of SBM-G by 2024-25.
Top performing states and union territories (UTs), including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, D&N Haveli, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Tripura, have achieved 100% ODF Plus villages. Notably, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadranagar Haveli and Damandev, Jammu and Kashmir, and Sikkim have 100% ODF Plus model villages, showing their remarkable progress in achieving this status.
Jal Shakti Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat emphasized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unwavering commitment to the Swachh Bharat Mission since 2014. He noted that the Prime Minister’s vision of making India open defecation-free by 2019 became a popular movement, and the focus was on the subsequent goals. Achieving “Complete Thinking”, which includes sanitation and efficient waste management.
Shekhawat explained that SBM-G Phase-II has set an ambitious target of making all villages ODF Plus by 2025. Out of 4,43,964 ODF Plus villages acquired so far, 2,92,497 are ODF Plus aspirant villages with solid waste management arrangements. or liquid waste management. Additionally, 55,549 villages are ODF Plus Rising Villages, which have both solid waste management and liquid waste management arrangements, while 96,018 villages are ODF Plus Model Villages. In total, 2,31,080 villages have solid waste management arrangements, and 3,76,353 villages have liquid waste management arrangements.
This year marks the ninth anniversary of Swachh Bharat Mission, and the achievement of 75% ODF Plus villages represents an important milestone as the country transitions from ODF to ODF Plus under Swachh Bharat Mission Phase II. Key components of Phase-II include maintaining open defecation-free conditions, solid waste management, plastic waste management, liquid waste management, faecal sludge management, gobardhan, information education and communication/attitude change communication, and capacity building. Includes construction.
Shekhawat highlighted that the entire budget of SBM Phase II is Rs 1.43 lakh crore, a substantial part of which comes from 15th Finance Commission funds and MGNREGA. The central share allocation from SBM-G for 2023-24 is Rs 7,192 crore, with states planning to spend Rs 22,264 crore from all sources this year. Funds have been used to build sanitation assets, promote behavior change, and implement solid and liquid waste management systems.
The Union Minister expressed happiness that this achievement coincides with the Suchhata Hai Seva (SHS) campaign celebrated every year from September 15 to October 2. SHS-2023, with the theme ‘Waste Free India’, has seen a lot of community participation through Sharamdan activities. As a part of SHS-2023, 5 crore people have participated, of which more than 2.05 crore people have visited beaches, river banks, heritage waste sites, tourist spots, public places, water bodies, institutional buildings, and has participated in Sharamdan activities, including clean-up of waste-prone areas. .
Apart from 34 States/UTs, around 42 partner Ministries/Departments are actively participating in SHS 2023. Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti appreciated the cooperation of all Villages, Gram Panchayats, Districts, States/UTs in this. remarkable achievement.
First Published: 24 Sep 2023, 09:09 IST