Rajasthan government has taken the arduous task in hand of making the state open defecation free and putting all possible efforts in this direction. In this journey, 3 districts have achieved the 100% open defecation targets and the left out 27 districts are on the verge of reaching the targets.
All the 290 gram panchayats of Bikaner, 282 gram panchayats of Ajmer and 301 gram panchayats of Jhunjunu have been assesses and declared as open defecation free. Also, before the ongoing financial year finishes, state government intends to make 10 districts ODF. Amidst this, one panachayat of Churu is yet to be made ODF and two panchayats Pali are yet to be made ODF.
Arushi Ajey Malik, director of sanitation of Panchayati Raj Department said, “We do not want to haste the process but make behavioral changes so that progress remains long lasting. Wherever there are gaps, we are trying to revisit these places and making correction”.
Also, as per the reports, the districts like Chittorgarh, Dholpur, Sri Ganganagar and Sirohi also have high chances to become ODF if this thing is made a priority by district administration. State government has asked collectors and CEOs in these districts for their effortful contribution in ten move as ODF will be considered as prominent factor while evaluating their performances.
An official mentioned that, “Collector should make a time bound programme for their respective districts and get on to the construction of toilets. It has to be on priority basis”.
If we leave few districts, other reasons are making the task difficult for the government. Mostly, Rajsamand, Pratapgarh, Alwar and Tonk are in lack of complete execution of this scheme.
In the year, 2015-16, Rajasthan government made an addition of 19.63 lakh toilets for households. Still the state has a far way to go in achieving the open-defecation free targets. Seems like, state government is doing its work and now people has to manage themselves to adapt according to the set standards of hygiene.
