Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, has crossed a major milestone in its commitment to sanitation and hygiene. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II, the state has successfully achieved ODF Plus status in all its 95,767 villages, marking a remarkable 100% success in the second phase of the mission.
An ODF plus village, as defined under the mission, is one that not only maintains Open Defecation Free (ODF) status but also implements an effective solid or liquid waste management system. . This achievement by Uttar Pradesh contributes to the nationwide effort, as 75% of villages across India have now declared themselves ODF Plus, the SBM-G phase scheduled for completion by 2024-25. According to the objectives of II.
The state’s journey towards this achievement saw impressive momentum in the current financial year. As of 1 January 2023, only 15,088 villages in Uttar Pradesh had achieved ODF Plus status. However, within a span of just nine months, the state stepped up its efforts and moved more than 80,000 additional villages to ODF Plus status. This rapid progress was made possible through mission-mode planning and implementation, with an emphasis on capacity building and on-site support at the panchayat (local government) level.
Out of 95,767 ODF Plus villages in Uttar Pradesh, 81,744 have been classified as ODF Plus aspiring villages, equipped with solid waste management or liquid waste management arrangements. Additionally, 10,217 villages fall under the ODF Plus Rising category, boasting arrangements for both solid waste management and liquid waste management. Finally, 3,806 villages have achieved the status of the prestigious ODF Plus model. In total, 15,649 villages now have effective solid waste management systems, and 95,048 villages have established liquid waste management solutions.
This remarkable achievement of 100% ODF plus status has been achieved during the ongoing Swachhata Hai Seva (SHS) 2023 campaign, led by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) from 15 September every year. Celebrated till October 2. Ministry of Jal Shakti. This year, around 8.8 lakh people have actively participated in mass mobilization and sharam daan (voluntary labour), contributing to the rapid attainment of ODF Plus status.
The celebration of this achievement also includes honoring those Gram Panchayats (Village Councils) who have done exceptional work in getting their areas declared as ODF Plus Model Villages. In all states, gram pradhans (village heads), gram panchayat secretaries, panchayat assistants, and safi karmi (cleaners) have been recognized at the state level, further recognizing them for their contribution to the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). Encourage.
Activities during the celebration include “Seeing is Believing” by exhibiting live models of solid waste, liquid waste, rural resource centers, and model villages to enhance learning and scaling up. Additionally, “Education through Entertainment” included cultural programs with local and folk media groups, such as magic shows and puppet shows with a garbage-free theme.
An ODF plus model village not only retains its ODF status but also has effective arrangements for both solid waste management and liquid waste management. It maintains visual cleanliness with minimal litter, stagnant sewage, and plastic waste dumps in public areas while displaying ODF Plus Information, Education and Communication (IEC) messages.
Key components of Phase II of SBM (G) include maintaining open defecation free condition, solid (biodegradable) waste management, plastic waste management, liquid waste management, faecal sludge management, gobardhan, information education and communication/ Behavior change communication, and capacity building. The SBM-G program has played an important role in enhancing the health and well-being of millions of people across the country.
First Published: 28 Sep 2023, 21:23 IST