Touching 51% of target level, Odisha to go 100% ODF by Dec 2018

Bhubaneswar, April 3: Odisha with a vision to provide all the houses with toilets has constructed 6.23 Lakhs toilets during 2017-18 fiscal. With this Odisha has touched 51% of target level to become Open Defecation Free. 

51% of houses in Odisha have toilets now, and the state government has set a target to provide the facility to the remaining 49% by the end of the year, officials said. "More than 6.23 Lakhs toilets in as many households have been constructed in the last financial year. Odisha has now reached 51% of target level. Field action has been expedited to raise it to 56% by April 10," Development Commissioner R. Balakrishnan said.

The households having toilet has increased to 51% by end of March 2018 from a mere 10.58% in October, 2014, Chief Secretary A P Padhi said. Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Secretary D R Singh said the target has been to cover 100% households by the end of December 2018.

"The rate of completion would be enhanced and more manpower would be engaged in meeting the target," he said. As of now, Deogarh district has been declared as open defecation free (ODF) district and Jharsuguda would be declared so within a fortnight, Singh said.

The government is trying to declare four more districts ODF by the 1st quarter of 2018-19, Singh said adding that the four districts are Balasore, Gajpati, Sambalpur and Sonepur. The programme is funded by both the central and state governments. The annual implementation plan for 2018-19 has made an outlay of nearly Rs 5,681 Crores, of which the Centre will provide Rs 3,408.86 Crores and Odisha Rs 2,271.94 Crores.