Bhubaneswar: Putting construction of individual toilets in rural areas on fast track, the state government is eyeing to make the state open defecation-free (ODF) by December this year.
A meeting in this regard was held in presence of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi and Union Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Parameswaran Iyer.
Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) director Roopa Mishra outlined the issues and collectors from respective districts forwarded their updates for discussion.
“We have made substantial progress in comparison to October 2014 when we had started off,” Padhi told reporters here Thursday.
As of now two districts, Deogarh and Jharsuguda, have been declared ODF.
“Detail work plan has been prepared to make another four districts- Balasore, Gajapati, Sambalpur and Sonepur- ODF by end of July,” Padhi added.
Padhi said the state was aiming to cover all households under ODF by the end of December this year.
Presently, the household coverage of toilets has crossed 55 per cent from a mere 10 per cent in October 2014.
During the meeting, Padhi asked the collectors through videoconferencing, to take personal lead in the mission and involve people from district water and sanitation mission, members from panchayat bodies, self-help groups (SHG) and Anganwadi workers.
While reviewing the progress district-wise, Iyer applauded the state for its progress on SBM, particularly the steps taken for behavioral change of people on use of toilets.
“Odisha has gathered momentum in the mission and it is right time to accelerate. The state government has set a target to make all districts ODF by this December and they are working on it,” said Iyer.
Replying to a query on non-use of toilets by the rural folks, the Union secretary said, “Behavioral change towards toilets is the most important task and we are working towards it.” Recently, the National Rural Sample Survey has conducted a nation-wide survey and it was found that 90 per cent of the people are using their toilets, he added.
According to sources, 45,03,128 households, which is 55 per cent of the total in the state, have toilets. Apart from the six districts, four districts – Jagatsinghpur, Rayagada, Kandhamal and Sundargarh – have crossed 60 per cent coverage while another 15 districts have crossed the 50 per cent mark. Around 3,700 villages have reached the level of 100 per cent coverage of household toilets. Presently, verification is going on and they will be declared ODF within a month, a source said. Similarly, around 73 per cent of the toilets have been so far completed, verified and geo-tagged.
Under the SBM-Rural, the government is providing Rs 12,000 to each household for construction of toilet, out of which Rs 10,000 is given for construction of the latrine and Rs 2,000 for water provision in it. The scheme is being funded jointly by the Centre and state government on a 60:40 sharing basis.