Question : World Toilet Day

(a) whether the Government hascelebrated the World Toilet Day recently;
(b) if so, the details thereof along withaims and objectives thereto;
(c) the programmes/events organizedby the Government on this occasion;
(d) the number of villages and districtsthat have been declared and that still remainto be declared as free from open defecationso far, State/UT-wise;
(e) the number of villages and districtsthat are still practicing open defecation sofar, State/UT-wise; and
(f) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to built toilets in each and everyhousehold in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION
(SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)

(a) Yes, Madam. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation observed the World Toilet Day on 19.11.2018.
(b) States and UTs were requested to arrange special cleanliness drive and awareness programmes from 9thto 19thNovember, 2018. The aim and objective of the events organised was to bring behaviour change for the usage of toilets and their maintenance.
(c) Various programmes/events organised include household visits, swachhata rallies/drives, display of twin pit toilet models, waste collection and segregation drives, swachhata related functions etc.

(d) and (e) State/UT-wise number of villages and districts that have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF)as on 10.12.2018 and that still remains to be declared as such are given at Annexure-1.
(f) Since the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) [SBM(G)] in 2014, States have made tremendous progress with reference to rural sanitation. While sanitation is State subject, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation supports State Government in the implementation of the SBM(G). Some focus areas are as follows :-
• Focus is being given on community based collective behavior change by massive campaigning at the national and State level.
• Focus is also on the outcome of ODF villages, and not only on construction of individual toilets.
• Given the vast socio-economic-cultural diversity of India, and also from the point of view of promoting innovations, the programme provides flexibility to the States to choose the strategy best suited to them in its implementation.
• Greater emphasis is being given on capacity building, especially in community approaches and programme management, by imparting training to the States and selected organizations called Key Resource Centres (KRCs), involving District Collectors to provide leadership to the programme at the district level.
• The programme is being run as a janandolan with cooperation of all sections of the society including the NGOs, corporates, youth etc. The Panchayats are being actively involved.
• Sanitation is being prioritized amongst the overall development agenda. The Government has taken a decision to prioritise all Centrally Sponsored Schemes in ODF villages. Various other development schemes are being converged with the sanitation outcomes.