Page 15 - Swachhata Chronicles – Transformative Tales from India (eBook)

PREFACE

After the transformative change brought about by the Swachh Bharat Mission – Grameen
(SBM-G) Phase-I, when all villages across the country had declared themselves as Open
Defecation Free (ODF), the Government of India, in February 2020, approved SBM-G Phase-II
with a total outlay of Rs. 1.4 lakh crores. The objective was to transform villages into ODF Plus
Model villages that sustain their ODF status, have arrangements for Solid and Liquid Waste
Management (SLWM), and are visually clean.

SBM-G Phase-II is being implemented in a mission mode across rural India from 2020–2021
to 2024–2025.

Given that all States may not fulfill all criteria under different verticals before declaring a
village as ODF Plus, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) reviewed the
criteria and introduced intermediate stages in the process of declaring a village as ODF Plus.
In an ODF Plus Aspiring village, all households and establishments have access to functional
toilets, separate for men and women, and arrangements are in place either for Solid
Waste Management (SWM) or Liquid Waste Management (LWM). In an ODF Rising village,
all households and establishments have access to functional toilets, and the village has
arrangements for SLWM. An ODF Plus Model village is one that sustains its ODF status; has
arrangements for SLWM; is visually clean with minimal litter, minimal stagnant wastewater,
and no plastic waste dump in public places; and displays Information, Education and
Communication (IEC) messages on safe sanitation practices.

As on 15 July 2023, of the total 5,91,779 villages across the country, 3,74,085 villages (more
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than 60 per cent) have achieved ODF Plus status. Among these, 2,58,227 are ODF Plus
Aspiring; 43,242 are ODF Plus Rising; and 72,616 villages are ODF Plus Model.

This translates into 2,02,202 villages having arrangements for SWM; 3,04,830 villages having
arrangements for LWM; 643 Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan)
plants; and 1,832 Plastic Waste Management Units (PWMUs) across the country.

To further create an enabling environment, the Government has allocated Rs. 52,137 crores
for the year 2023–2024. In addition to SBM-G funds, 15 Finance Commission (FC) funds are
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allocated for sanitation, which can be utilized to build sanitation assets, promote behaviour
change, and implement SLWM systems.

With less than two years left to achieve the objectives, the Rural WASH Partners’ Forum
(RWPF) has stepped in to support the campaign by way of provision of technical support,
skilling and awareness generation. Their support would accelerate SBM-G activities and
enable villages to achieve ODF Plus Model status at the earliest.

This booklet contains 75 best practices of States in various ODF Plus activities that showcase
their innovations, measures taken to overcome barriers and raise awareness, special
campaigns launched and other endeavours in order to meet the goals of SBM-G Phase-II.

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