RAIPUR: Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has drawn the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi towards the alleged disparity in Open Defecation Free (ODF) status claimed to have been achieved by Chhattisgarh state under the BJP’s rule way back in January 2018.
In his letter addressed to the PM on Saturday, Baghel cited the National Family Health Survey 2019-21 (NFHS-5) conducted by the Union Ministry of Health and quoted the survey findings that revealed around 88 per cent of families in urban areas and around 74 per cent in rural areas of Chhattisgarh availed of the improved toilet facilities. The physical inspection of toilets during the recent socio-economic survey conducted by the Chhattisgarh government aligns with the data released by NFHS-5.
“This indicates that 76.8 per cent of families in the state are utilising upgraded toilet facilities while 23.2 per cent remain deprived. Under the previous (BJP) government’s regime around 32 lakh toilets were constructed in the state. In January 2018 the entire state was declared ODF with expenditure over Rs 4,000 crore allocated for these toilet construction”, the CM elucidated.
Baghel urged the prime minister to initiate an independent investigation into the existing discrepancy since after the substantial investment over 15 lakh families in the state presently remain devoid of accessing ‘build-on toilet facilities’.
While the Swachh Bharat target for the country was October 2019, the then Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh in July 2016 had declared that the state would become ODF in the year 2018, while speaking at a 2-day Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) National Conclave organised by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation in Raipur for District Collectors and officers.
Then the BJP government had decided to give preference to its ODF blocks in schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) for the distribution of LPG connections to incentivise more blocks and districts to achieve ODF status.
The state BJP government had apparently impressed the Centre with its performance. “There is a silent revolution going on in Chhattisgarh and the state’s commitment to SBM is an example for the entire country,” said Parameswaran Iyer, the then secretary, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation in the national conclave.
Initiate investigation
Baghel urged the prime minister to initiate an independent investigation into the existing discrepancy since after the substantial investment over 15 lakh families in the state presently remain devoid of accessing ‘build-on toilet facilities’. The state BJP had apparently impressed the Centre with its performance, the then secretary had said.