MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION
(SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)
(a) The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) has been launched on 2nd October, 2014, which aims at attaining Open Defecation Free India by 2nd October 2019. Under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), the focus is on behavior change, usage of toilets and engagement of communities. The programme provides flexibility to the State governments in choosing the approach, considered most suitable to them. The programme also provides incentives for individual toilets. Funds are also available for community toilets and for solid and liquid waste management. The behavior change communication is emphasized and there is also focus on capacity building of the implementation machinery.
(b) The goal of Swachh Bharat Misison (Gramin) is to achieve Open Defecation Free India by 2nd October 2019.Sanitation Coverage, which was 42.05% on 2.10.2014, has increased to 57.43% on 28.11.2016. Since the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) on 2nd October, 2014, 279.65 lakh toilets have already been constructed under SBM(G) as on 28.11.2016. In addition to these, 15.55 lakh toilets have been constructed under MGNREGA since 2.10.2014. A total of 1,21,106 Villages have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) as on 28-11-2016.Also 61 districts and 684 Blocks have declared themselves as ODF.
(c) The government has recently approved a World Bank project under which the States will be incentivized on various outcomes including iner-alia Sustainability of ODF villages.
(d) The new programme is a shift from the earlier rural sanitation programmes in several respects. First and foremost, under Swachh Bharat, the focus is on behavior change. Community based collective behavior change has been mentioned as the preferred approach, although the States are free to choose the approach best suited to them. Focus is also on creation of complete open defecation free (ODF) villages, rather than only on construction of individual toilets. This entails triggering the entire village into changing their behavior rather than dealing individually with beneficiaries.
• Secondly, the new programme provides flexibility to the States in the implementation of the programme. This is essential, given the vast socio-economic-cultural diversity of India, and also from the point of view of promoting innovations.
• Thirdly, there is a greater emphasis on capacity building, especially in community approaches and programme management. Lack of adequate capacities is a major challenge in scaling up the programme. Therefore, various initiatives are being taken to reach out to all the stakeholders. From the Government of India side, the States and select organizations (called Key Resource Centres) are being trained. These in turn are, carrying out trainings at the sub-State level. The key official at the district level-Collector-has been roped in the programme to provide leadership at the district level. They are being exposed to best practices, both through workshops and exposure visits. Around 450 Collectors from across the country have been trained. In order to provide exposure to officers at their entry level itself, a training module has been developed for LBSNAA, Mussoorie. The IAS and other Group A probationers are being given training for better implementation of SBM(G), including ‘triggering’ behavior change in communities.
• Fourthly, 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.
• Also, there is an emphasis on streamlining administrative and financial procedures, both to cut down on time, as well as to increase accountability.
• Innovations in technology is being promoted at the National and State levels. There is a National Committee under Prof. R.M. Mashelkar that examines all new technologies from the point of view of safety and feasibility.
• 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.
• Monitoring and Evaluation has also been strengthened. The IMIS has data up to household level, with provision to capture geo-tagged photographs of toilets. A Swachhta App has been developed that provides online information on sanitation status up to household level. The citizens can also do ranking of swachhta on the Swachh App
• An Index of Village Swachhata has been developed that takes into account status of solid and liquid waste management also, besides the open defecation status. The citizens can also do ranking of swachhta on the Swachh App.
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