The government of Uttar Pradesh has seen a massive overhaul in the implementation of schemes and achieving the set targets in various state and central government projects. According to a report in the Economic Times, the state government is now bracing itself to the task of building 20 lakh toilets every month till October 2nd this year.
The Uttar Pradesh government is aiming for the distinction of achieving the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status a whole year ahead of the national deadline of October 2nd, 2019.
Till a year ago, UP has been lagging behind the national averages on the number of toilets built and the total number of villages being declared ODF. It was reportedly among the two worst performing states in the Swachh Bharat Mission and it was being speculated that the state will not even be able to meet the national target. In the last one year after CM Yogi Adityanath took charge, the state has witnessed a complete turn around in the efforts and dedication.
UP was reportedly the top performer last year and if it is able to achieve ODF status a year earlier, due to its distinction of being the highest populated state of India, it can even enable to turn the country ODF six months earlier than the national target of October 2, 2019.
According to the report in ET, out of 2.69 crore rural houses in UP, 1.94 crores already have a household toilet. In urban areas, against an original target of 8.87 lakh toilets, 3.69 lakh toilets have been built so far and 1.46 lakh are under construction.
When the Swachh Bharat Mission was announced on October 2nd, 2014, UP had only 37% coverage of rural (Grameen) household toilets. After nearly 2.5 years, on April 30, 2017, the total rural household toilet coverage was at 47%. That means the state had only made 10% progress in 2.5 years. But in the last one year, after massive efforts from the BJP government in the state, the state average on rural household toilets coverage has been taken up to 74%.
The state government has been providing active support, personnel and administration in the awareness and participation campaigns to achieve the target of Swachh Bharat Mission. Innovative measures like summer internships, geotagging, Swachhta shapath, and Bal Swachhta Rath etc. have been undertaken to encourage the masses to come forward and make the mission a success.
A Bal Swachhata Rath comprising of three vans was flagged off by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath ji earlier this month. The Rath’s role is to inspect, clean and provide feedback about toilets in schools and anganwadis. #SwachhBharatMission pic.twitter.com/uRBgvhknZN
— Swachh Bharat (@swachhbharat) February 2, 2018
UP CM Yogi Adityanath has recently told in the NITI Ayog Governing Council meeting chaired by the PMthat the state will now target to construct 20 lakh toilets every month to achieve the complete ODF status by October 2nd, 2019.
