(a) whether the Government has formulated any scheme to make all the Gram Panchayats alongside the Ganga river free from open defecation;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to formulate such scheme with regard to other rivers flowing in different parts of the country; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION
(SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV)
(a) and (b) Under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), the entire country is to become Open Defecation Free (ODF) by 2nd October, 2019. However, States having Gram Panchayats(GPs) alongside the Ganga river has been asked to target these GPs for making them ODF even before 2nd October, 2019. Accordingly, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has asked the five States, through which the Ganga river flows, to prioritise 1657 Gram Panchayats along the bank of river Ganga for making them Open Defecation-Free as per the guidelines of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).
(c) and (d) As per guidelines of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), the Gram Panchayats (GPs) on all major river basins of India e.g. Sutlej , Ravi, Beas, Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Narmada, Tapti, Kaveri, Brahmaputra are to be prioritised for sanitation coverage saturation.