Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Paatil, will be visiting Odisha tomorrow to take part in activities for the ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) campaign. Joined by the Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, the visit will focus on assessing the State’s performance in sanitation, cleanliness, ODF Plus Model declaration and improved waste management systems.
Key Highlights of the Visit
The visit will begin at Suando village, the birthplace of Utkalamani Pandit Gopabandhu Das, a noted social reformer of Odisha, where the Union Minister will take part in a tree plantation drive as a part of the SHS campaign under Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam. The dignitaries will be visiting the Utkalamani Memorial Museum, following which they will visit the Bidyadharpur village, to engage with beneficiaries of the Individual Household Latrines (IHHL) programme and assess the various sanitation assets created under SBM(G).
A convention will be held at Biraramachandrapur GP for Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC) members, during which the VWSC Training Manual will be launched. The event will include demonstrations of water testing by women’s self-help groups (SHGs) and award distribution to best-performing Gram Panchayats.
Review of Sanitation and Waste Management Progress
During the visit, the Union Minister will review Odisha’s ongoing progress under SBM-G, where 65.88% of villages have been declared ODF Plus Model villages and 91.38% villages have arrangements for greywater management and 70.69% villages have arrangements of Solid Waste Management. While substantial progress has been made in the state, the way ahead will ensure ODF Plus Model verification for all villages by December 2024. The Minister’s visit will also enable the State’s ongoing efforts in furthering forward linkages for expediting use of plastic waste in road construction and ensuring ODF sustainability apart from involving SHGs in O&M of sanitation assets.
Public Engagement and Mass Participation
The visit comes in the backdrop of the ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2024 campaign, which is seeing massive participation across all 314 blocks of Odisha. This campaign is ongoing from September 17 to October 1, with the culmination on Gandhi Jayanti, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Under the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, Odisha has planned for 25,376 events, transformation of 2003 Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs) and 314 SafaiMitra Suraksha Shivirs across its rural areas. Out of these 11,799 events have already been completed seeing a participation of 20.7 lakh people till date. This number reflects the ongoing efforts that are being made to involve local communities in taking ownership of their sanitation systems and ensuring that the gains made through Swachh Bharat Mission are sustained.
On September 26, 2024, a major ‘Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivir’ event across 314 blocks will be held to promote the safety and welfare of sanitation workers across the state.
The visit by the Union Minister of Jal Shakti is a testament to the Government’s resolve to drive the message of cleanliness across rural India and ensure that the vision of Sampoorna Swachh Bharat becomes a permanent reality.
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