Himachal to be free of open defecation by 2019

Himachal Pradesh has prepared an action plan to achieve all targets under the 'Swachh Bharat Mission', thereby ensuring a clean state free of open defecation by 2019, an official told IANS here Sunday.

The aim of the government under the 'Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan' - a demand-driven and community-led programme to achieve the 'Nirmal' or free of open defecation - is to achieve 100 percent access to sanitation for all rural households by 2022 by constructing individual, institutional, cluster and community toilets.

For this, water pipelines have to be laid in all villages, enabling tap connections to each household. To keep villages clean and efficient, solid and water management through gram 'panchayats' will also have to be ensured, a government statement said.

'Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan' is a programme administered by the ministry of drinking water and sanitation.

As per a 2013 survey, out of 14,835,62 households in the state, 12,745,55 have toilets facility, leaving 2.5 lakh households yet to be covered.

The state, said the statement, has given the approval of Rs.852.55 crore for revised projects under the 'Swachh Bharat Mission', out of which the first installment of Rs.48 crore has been received.

The government has identified 477 panchayats to provide solid and liquid management system in the first phase and all 3,243 panchayats would be covered under the system in a phased manner, the statement added.

Awareness programmes are being organised on regular bases at the village level, so as to make the people aware about the benefit of cleanliness. For this, the government has arranged adequate provision of funds under the Information Education and Communication (IEC) programme.