Use Rath Yatra To Accelerate Swachh Bharat Mission In Odisha: Centre To State

Bhubaneswar: With Odisha having been placed at the bottom of Individual Household Latrine (IHHL) coverage in the country, the Centre has urged the state government to spread awareness on twin-pit access and usage during Rath Yatra

In a letter addressed to Chief Secretary A P Padhi, Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Parameswaran Iyer said that Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) has been progressing too slow in the state. “It is our common concern and Rath Yatra could be a significant opportunity to provide much-needed acceleration to the programme, ” he added.

Iyer further said spreading the message on twin-pit toilet during the occasion will go a way long in helping Odisha reach Open Defecation Free (ODF) status through behavioural change of millions of rural citizens attending the grandest festival of the state.

According to government data, Odisha has been the worst performer in executing the SBM in India. Only 38.08 lakh household toilets have been made since its launch on October 2, 2014. The IHHL coverage in Odisha is 57.82%.

Odisha figures among the five lowest-performing states in ODF with only 23.42% villages (two of the 30 districts) qualifying for the tag.

Bihar has been doing better in this regard with 58.9% IHHL coverage. Around 18 states and Union Territories have already achieved the 100% coverage.