Distinct improvement of sanitation at 20 SIP in phase I, II:

There is a distinct improvement of sanitation facilities at 20 Swachh Iconic Places (SIP) under Phase I and II of the government's flagship programme, Swachh Bharat Mission, where special sanitation work is underway, a senior official said today.

"There is a distinct achievement and improvement of sanitation facilities in the first phase and also for last about six months in the second phase.

A significant level of achievement is already visible in the phase I and phase II," Director General (Special Projects), Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Akshay Rout said.

"We are looking forward to more streamlined, focussed and systematic sanitation development at each of the 30 sites in a time-bound manner," Rout said on the sidelines of the National Level Review and Consultation on the Swachh Iconic Places, that began here.

"Swachh Bharat Mission and SIP are very aspirationalwe want to achieve a distinct higher level of sanitation which is prevalent at global stage at these places," he said.

The government recently added ten Swachh Iconic Places (SIP) under phase III of the programme.

The SIP project envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being coordinated by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation with the support of state governments and local administration.

"At each of the 20 sites one corporate is supporting in terms of finance, technology and managerial support and PSU/private support for phase III has to be found," he said.

The conference will review the phase I and phase II works and there will be a consultation for developing an action plan for the third phase to start the works, he said.

Addressing the conference, Rout said, "If there is one project or programme whichextremely depends on coordination it is the SIP. It has to be truly coordinated and concerted activity which all of us tried to do over the last over two years."
On the corporate partnership, Rout said, "let me clarify PSU corporate support is just one of the support areas. Basically the focus is on absence of sanitation on that site and need to do good amount of sanitation there."