On October 2, 2014, Swachh Bharat Mission was started. This year it has completed three years. All the states of India are trying their best to fight with this issue. In fact, many of the states are ready to be Open Defecation Free states by March 2018. Talking about Rajasthan, it is also making efforts to be open defecation state by March 2018.
Rajasthan and its efforts under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan
In one of the conferences held this year, Union Minister for Urban Development and Housing, M Venkaiah Naidu announced that Rajasthan would become open defecation free state (ODF) by December 31. Under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, 20 cities of Rajasthan have already been declared free from open defecation.
Considering the statistics, 67 per cent of the gram panchayats in Rajasthan have been declared ODF. In terms of toilets in rural households, the state stands at 10th position in India. On urban front, however, the progress is a little slow with 6% of the cities being declared ODF.
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To promote toilet buildings in the state, Rajasthan government is also very active. For every toilet constructed, Vasundhara Raje government gives a reward of Rs 12,000 in Rajasthan.
There are several districts of the state which are showing remarkable progress under this sanitation drive. The families which have built toilets are appreciated and financially supported by Rajasthan government for this decision.
What is Open defecation?
Open defecation (OD) is the human practice of defecating outside—in the open. People use fields, bushes, forests, open bodies of water or other open space in lieu of toilets. Usually, people do this practice in rural areas and places where toilets are not available.
What can be the result?
It is also assumed that Rajasthan’s target of becoming open defecation free state by March 2018 seems little difficult. There are certain places in Rajasthan where government is making lots of efforts to make people understand the benefits of using toilets. Hence, if people of Rajasthan wish to declare themselves open defecation free state then they have to make collective efforts.
