Maangi Devi, a 60-year old resident of Malikpura village in Govindgarh block of Jaipur district, is thankful for the government and its cleanliness campaign that has made her life easier. Although today she is leading a happy life, there was a time when she was constantly bothered about the safety of her four daughters. Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin
Devoid of a toilet facility at the house, Maangi Devi’s daughters had to go out to relieve themselves at the break of the dawn. They also didn’t have a proper space to take a bath at home.
For many, this may seem to be just a lack of amenities but as a single parent, Maangi had to constantly live worrying about the safety of her daughters. What if someone chances upon them or takes advantage of their vulnerability?
Life wasn’t easy for Maangi, as she had to depend on a few cattle and her meager daily wages for livelihood. Even when her daughters got married, problems of water scarcity and open defecation never ceased to make her life miserable.
One day, when she came to know about the Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin campaign, it was her chance to solve everything going wrong around her. Maangi Devi paid full attention to the panchayat meetings. In these gathering, the district administration not only emphasized on the need of toilets but also demonstrated that toilets can be built in very less space.
Upon knowing the health benefits and significance of having a toilet at home, Maangi talked to her neighbor who suggested that she should have one at her home. She decided that it could be the only way to have dignity, respect, and protection that she and her visiting daughters deserve.
It was at this point that she realized that the renovation and reconstruction of her broken shelter can wait but a toilet was needed to be built urgently. Not having enough funds, she approached the village authorities who responded and supported her decision.
Reads more: स्वच्छ भारत अभियान में अपनी हिस्सेदारी निभा धौलपुर के रतनसिंह ने पेश की एक मिसाल
The Sarpanch of the village provided sufficient funds in the form of personal loan with which she got a toilet and bathing space constructed next to her house. To make Malikpura open defecation free, 103 toilets are to be built in the village.
It’s quite interesting as to how villagers, who neither have resources not knowledge about such basic facilities, are actually getting benefitted from such schemes. Schemes like Swachh Bharat are not only informing people but these are also changing the lives of economically backward section of the society in the best possible manner. This proves how efficient and effective government programs are for the public.
