Telangana tops in highest number of ODF villages

Context:

Telangana stood first in the country in the list of highest number of open defecation free (ODF Plus) villages under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase-II programme till December 31, 2021.

Relevance:

GS-II: Social Justice and Governance (Issues related to Health and Poverty, Government Policies and Initiatives, Welfare Schemes)

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Telangana’s Success story
2. About Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Phase-II
3. Highlights of the report by the Wash Institute (a global non-profit organization) on open defecation
4. ODF, ODF+, ODF++ Status (for Town and Cities)
5. National rural sanitation strategy

Telangana’s Success story

Around 96.74% of the villages in Telangana have been declared ODF Plus.

• The state government’s stress on garbage collection and scientific disposal is said to be contributing to the success of the state in the rankings.
• The Telangana government has enacted a new Telangana Panchayat Raj Act to ensure holistic development of villages. Under the Palle Pragathi programme a secretary has been posted in every panchayat for smooth execution of welfare programmes, close monitoring and digital reporting to ensure prevalence of good governance in villages.

About Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Phase-II

• The Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Phase-II  was approved in February 2020 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti
• It emphasizes the sustainability of achievements under phase I and to provide adequate facilities for Solid/Liquid & plastic Waste Management (SLWM) in rural India.
• The SLWM component of ODF Plus will be monitored on the basis of output-outcome indicators for 4 key areas:
  1. Plastic waste management,
  2. Biodegradable solid waste management (including animal waste management),
  3. Greywater (Household Wastewater) management
  4. Fecal sludge management.
• The fund sharing pattern between Centre and States will be 90:10 for North-Eastern States and Himalayan States and UT of J&K; 60:40 for other States; and 100% for other Union Territories.
• It will continue to generate employment and provide impetus to the rural economy through construction of household toilets and community toilets, as well as infrastructure for SLWM such as compost pits, soak pits, waste stabilisation ponds, material recovery facilities etc.
• It will also help rural India effectively handle the challenge of solid and liquid waste management and will help in substantial improvement in the health of the villagers in the country.

Highlights of the report by the Wash Institute (a global non-profit organization) on open defecation

• India was responsible for the largest drop in open defecation since 2015, in terms of absolute numbers.
• Within India, open defecation had been highly variable regionally since at least 2006 and in 2006 the third round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) found open defecation to be practiced by less than 10 per cent of the population in four states and the Union Territory of Delhi, but by more than half the population in 11 states.
• By 2016, when the fourth round of the NFHS was conducted, open defecation had decreased in all states, with the largest drops seen in Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.

ODF, ODF+, ODF++ Status (for Town and Cities)

1. ODF: An area can be notified or declared as ODF if at any point of the day, not even a single person is found defecating in the open.
2. ODF+: This status is given if at any point of the day, not a single person is found defecating and/or urinating in the open, and all community and public toilets are functional and well maintained.
3. ODF++: This status is given if the area is already ODF+ and the faecal sludge/septage and sewage are safely managed and treated, with no discharging or dumping of untreated faecal sludge and sewage into the open drains, water bodies or areas.

National rural sanitation strategy

• The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti has launched the 10-year Rural Sanitation Strategy starting from 2019 up to 2029.
• It lays down a framework to guide local governments, policy-makers, implementers and other relevant stakeholders in their planning for Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus status, where everyone uses a toilet, and every village has access to solid and liquid waste management.

-Source: The Hindu