Uttar Pradesh becomes 100% ODF Plus state under Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural)

Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural), Uttar Pradesh has achieved a significant milestone in the field of sanitation and has become a 100% Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus state.

State Panchayati Raj Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar said here on Monday that the state’s gram panchayats are setting an example for the country in the field of sanitation, and the government will continue to work in this direction in the future.

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The state has already been declared 100% ODF in the first phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural). During this phase, Uttar Pradesh constructed more than 2.74 crore individual toilets, making it the state with the highest number of toilets in the country.

In the second phase of the mission, special emphasis is being placed on maintaining the ODF status permanently, as well as on solid and liquid waste management. Currently, 95,767 villages in the state have declared themselves ODF Plus with solid and liquid waste management systems, while more than 94,723 villages have achieved ODF Plus status.

Under the second phase, 5,725,291 individual toilets have been constructed so far. Additionally, 59,165 community toilets have been constructed to strengthen sanitation facilities in rural areas.

Panchayati Raj Department Director Amit Kumar Singh said that the Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural) has now become a mass movement. With the active participation of Gram Panchayats, public representatives, and villagers, the state has established a new identity in the field of sanitation. He stated that the department’s goal is to bring as many Gram Panchayats as possible into the ODF Plus category and make cleanliness a permanent habit.