LUCKNOW: In a remarkable feat, all 95,767 villages of Uttar Pradesh have attained ‘Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus’ status during the second phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), marking a cent per cent achievement rate for the state.
An ODF Plus village is one that besides getting Open Defecation-Free (ODF) status, also implements solid or liquid waste management systems. So far, 4.4 lakh (75%) villages across the country have declared themselves ODF Plus, a significant step towards achieving the targets of SBM-G Phase 2 by 2024–25.
In UP, only 15,088 villages were declared ODF Plus till January 1, 2023. However, within the span of just 9 months, the state made efforts to achieve ODF Plus status in a mission mode and over 80,000 villages successfully achieved ODF Plus status.
Out of 95,767 ODF Plus villages in the state, 81,744 villages are ODF Plus aspirational villages, where the system of either solid waste management or liquid waste management is in place. Another 10,217 villages are ODF Plus rising villages with both solid waste management and liquid waste management in place and the rest of the 3,806 villages are ODF Plus Model Villages.
The achievement came through during the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS)’ – 2023 campaign being run across the country. SHS is celebrated annually from September 15 to October 2 under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural), Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti. In 2023, over 88 lakh people participated and contributed to ‘Shramdaan’ on a large scale, thereby accelerating the achievement of ODF Plus status.
As a result of ODF Plus achievement, those Gram Panchayats were felicitated who did exemplary work and declared their Gram Panchayats as ODF Plus models. Gram Pradhans, Gram Panchayat Secretaries, Panchayat Assistants, and sanitation workers across the state were honoured at the state level and motivated to contribute further to the Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural).
The award winners include the 60 best Gram Panchayats for their contribution to making Gram Panchayat a model and 75 sanitation workers (one from each of the 75 districts) were also honoured for their contribution.