NEW DELHI, 13 March (H.S.) : Although the Government of India initiated Phase II of the

Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) in February 2020, with a timeline extending

from 2020-21 to 2024-25, official data indicates that several major states are

significantly lagging in meeting two essential objectives of this phase. These

objectives include ensuring the sustainability of Open Defecation Free (ODF)

status and implementing comprehensive solid and liquid waste management across

all villages by the 2024-25 deadline.

Government data indicates that states such as Andhra

Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, and Punjab have struggled significantly

in reaching the ODF Plus status. In contrast, states like Uttarakhand, Madhya

Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh have excelled, with a majority of villages in these

regions attaining ODF Plus. Additionally, states including Assam, Goa, Gujarat,

and Haryana have numerous rural blocks that are supported by rural PWMU

initiatives.

The Government of India initiated the Swachh Bharat Mission

(Grameen) on October 2, 2014, aiming to eradicate open defecation across the

country by October 2, 2019. The success of this initiative relied on fostering

a demand for toilets, which led to their construction and ensured that all

members of households utilized them consistently.

As per the information available in the Integrated

Management Information System of the Swachh Bharat Mission, by October 2, 2019,

every village had proclaimed itself Open Defecation Free (ODF). Nevertheless,

numerous villages across various states have not yet attained ODF Plus status.

States such as Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Punjab

have recorded less than 20 percent of their villages achieving ODF Plus.

In February 2020, the Union Cabinet sanctioned the Swachh

Bharat Mission Phase II, which is set to be executed from 2020-21 to 2024-25.

This phase aims to concentrate on ODF Plus initiatives, including the

sustainability of Open Defecation Free (ODF) practices, following the

attainment of ODF outcomes and the establishment of effective solid and liquid

waste management across all villages.

In the second phase, the budget allocation for the year

2020-21 was initially set at Rs 9994.10 crore. However, this amount was

subsequently revised to Rs 6000.00 crore, with the actual expenditure recorded

at Rs 4947.92 crore. For the fiscal year 2024-25, the budget estimate was Rs

7192 crore, which remained unchanged, yet the actual allocation amounted to

only Rs 2354 crore. This significant project necessitates considerable effort.

The Centre has set a budget estimate of Rs 7192 crore for the fiscal year

2025-26, providing an extended timeline for the project's execution.

Hindusthan Samachar / Meenakshi Bhattacharya