(a) whether the Government maintains rural India to be open defecation free now
and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether it is a fact that even today 20% of rural population use open defecation;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether target of constructing toilets in rural areas has not been achieved; and
(e) if so, the steps taken/being taken by the Government to make rural areas open
defecation free in real terms?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA)
(a) to (c) The Government had launched Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) [SBM(G)] with effect from 2nd October, 2014 with the aim to attain Open Defecation Free (ODF) India by 2nd October, 2019 by providing access to toilet facilities to all the rural households in the country. As per the data reported by the States on the Online Integrated Management Information System of SBM(G), sanitation coverage in the rural areas of the country which was 38.7% on 2.10.2014 has increased to 100% and all the 5,99,963 villages of the country have already declared themselves as ODF. As per National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) 2018-19 conducted in December, 2018, 93.1% rural households have access to toilets.
(d) and (e) As per the data reported by the States on Online Integrated Management Information System of SBM(G), rural areas of all the States in the country have achieved 100% sanitation coverage. The Government has further advised all the States to ensure that no one is left behind under SBM(G) and to identify the missed out rural households, if any, and support them to construct toilets under the programme.