Maharashtra becomes open defecation free (ODF) state

Mumbai, Apr 19: Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis Wednesday said that under the ‘Swachha Maharashtra Abhiyan’ implemented as part of the Central Government’s ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, the state has become Open Defecation Free (ODF) state.

Addressing a press conference at Sahyadri Guest House here Fadanvis said that the administrative machinery of the state took up on a mission mode the work of constructing toilets in the state and accomplished the construction of over 60 lakh toilets making Maharashtra an ODF state.

State Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Babanrao Lonikar, Rural Development Minister Pankaja Munde, MoS Sadabhau Khot, Additional Principal Secretary of Water Supply and Sanitation Department Shyamlal Goyal and others were present at the press conference.

The Chief Minister further said that according to 2012 baseline survey only 45 percent families in the state had toilets. Under the ‘Swachha Maharashtra Abhiyan’ there was a challenging target to construct toilets for the remaining 55 percent families.

He praised Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Babanrao Lonikar, and Rural Development Minister Pankaja Munde, MoS Sadabhau Khot and Additioanl Principal Secretary Shyamlal Goyal for performing exceedingly well under the ‘Swachha Maharashtra Abhiyan’.

Besides the entire administrative machinery had implemented innovative ideas on mission mode and completed the target, the Chief Minister complimented.

Fadanvis further said that while the country was progressing through various technologies it was serious thing that 50 percent Indians had no toilets. Prime Minister Modi had announced the ‘Swachha Bharat Abhiyan’ and attracted the attention of country towards this grave reality and appealed to all to make India ODF by 2019 under this campaign.

Under this in the ‘Swachha Maharashtra Abhiyan’ was implemented in the state and accomplished the task of making the state ODF in 2018. Under this a total of 60 lakh, 41 thousand, 138 toilets were constructed in the state with an expenditure of over four thousand crore from the central and state funds.

Using the available resources in various districts, the administrative machinery constructed toilets. In the first phase toilets were constructed and toilet access was given to each one. In the second phase a massive awareness campaign will be undertaken to use the toilet. This will also end the dilemma of the womenfolk besides maintaining a hygienic atmosphere.

The Chief Minister gave the information about toilets constructed during the last four years. Accordingly, 2,21,849 toilets were constructed in 2013-14, 4,88,402 in 2014-15, 8,82,053 in 2015-16, 19,16,461 in 2016-17 and 22,51,081 toilets were constructed in 2017-18. Thus, including personal and public toilets totalling to 60,41,138 were constructed covering 351 talukas, 22,667 gram panchayts, and 40,500 villages making the entire state an Open Defecation Free state in the country, the Chief Minister said.

Before the press conference the Chief Minister interacted through video conferencing with all CEOs and took the review of the works completed.