Punjab to become first ‘Open defection free’ state of India

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab is fast marching towards acquiring the unique status of the first ‘ODF’ (Open Defection Free) state in the country with the 75 per cent of the rural population having access to the Public Toilets. Toilets to the remaining 25 per cent of rural folks would be constructed on mission mode in stipulated time frame by 2017 by October 2017.
It was disclosed by Surjit Singh Rakhra, Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation, Punjab during meeting with Mrs. Vijay Laxmi Joshi, Secretary to Government of India, Department of Water Supply and Sanitation. She was in Punjab to review the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Rakhra said that for this purpose the Government of Punjab has approved ‘Punjab Rural Water and Sanitation Sector Improvement Project’ (PRWSSIP). He said this project would support the construction of 625000 Individual Household Latrines (IHHL) in the rural areas. He said that the estimated unit cost of a Household Latrine would be Rs. 15,000 and the state government would finance Rs 6000 for each IHHL whereas remaining amount is expected from the GoI.
Vijay Laxmi Joshi lauded the efforts of the Punjab Government in realising the dream of Swachh Bharat Mission in its true spirits. She assured the state government that there would be no shortage of funds for Swachh Bharat Mission and the GoI would examine the Punjab’s case for additional funds positively.
Earlier reviewing the activities under Swachh Bharat Mission in Punjab Mrs. Vijay Laxmi Joshi had video conferencing session with all the Deputy Commissioners. She also described the guiding principles of the Swachh Bharat Mission. She said that the SBM never ‘was’ never ‘is’ and ‘would’ never be a toilet construction exercise. She said that the intent SBM from day one is the behaviour change of the masses with regard to their health and sanitation issues. She said that SBM should not be confused as engineering exercise of construction of toilets but it is social movement to change the mindset of the people by mobilizing the community towards adopting healthy sanitation practices. She was amused to know that the per cent of usage of toilets among the women in Punjab is higher than the men.