India's Villages Achieve New Milestones with ODF Plus Status

In a remarkable achievement, 95% of India's villages have declared themselves open defecation free plus, surpassing basic toilet construction to focus on comprehensive sanitation and solid-liquid waste management. Led by Uttar Pradesh with over 93,000 ODF Plus villages, the initiative is part of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen.

The Jal Shakti ministry announced on Thursday that approximately 95% of villages in India have achieved 'open defecation free plus' (ODF Plus) status, marking a significant leap in the country's sanitation efforts.

The ODF Plus status not only emphasizes the construction of toilets but also enhances sanitation through solid-liquid waste management. Among the leaders are Uttar Pradesh with 93,947 villages, Madhya Pradesh with 50,580, and Maharashtra with 37,327 achieving this milestone. Smaller states and territories like Ladakh and Lakshadweep have also reached 100% ODF Plus status in their villages.

Minister of State for Jal Shakti V Somanna revealed in the Lok Sabha that the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G) has crossed a critical threshold, declaring 5,60,897 of the 5,86,707 villages in the country as ODF Plus. The classification distinguishes villages as 'Aspiring,' 'Rising,' and 'Model,' with Madhya Pradesh showcasing over 49,000 Model villages. The effort builds on other successes, including the construction of 11.76 crore Individual Household Latrines since 2014, and participation in over 55,000 sanitation events nationwide.

(With inputs from agencies.)