Usage of toilets must for success of 'Swachh Bharat': Minister

Achieving complete success of 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' will not be possible until the entire population uses toilets, Union Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh today said as he urged social groups and communities to work towards the goal of making India open defecation-free.
Urging communities to take efforts towards encouraging people who defecate in the open to change their habits, he said the campaign was in a "mission mode" and the government was working towards achieving the target of constructing 11.11 crore toilets before the deadline of October 2, 2019.
"Our physical target is to build 11.11 crore toilets, which we may achieve before 2019 itself. Complete success of the campaign lies in whether toilets are used or not. It will be our effort to see to that.

"These efforts though will bear fruit only when social communities take part in it because only they can see at ground-level if the toilets are being used or not," the Union Rural Development, Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister said at a conference organised by ASSOCHAM here.
He suggested organisations volunteering for the campaign to figure out ways to encourage people to use toilets and convince them to do so for a certain period so that it becomes a habit and subsequently, part of their lifestyle.
Singh urged stakeholders present during the conference to produce a success story of the campaign to see that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for Clean India "does not remain only a call".

He cited the example of Hindi film 'Chak De India' that depicts success story of Indian women's hockey team in international tournament in this regard.

"That movie created a sense of honour, created a sense in our youngsters to rise to the occasion. This kind of movie I want from you. We should see Prime Minister's call does not remain only a call," he said.
Singh advised technology providers to ensure their innovations in toilet constructions are conceived keeping in mind habits of Indian communities even as he cited examples from his personal life in this regard.
The Minister termed growing awareness amongst children about the Abhiyan over the past one year as the "biggest achievement". "They are our ambassadors of the campaign."

The 'Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) for All' conference was also addressed by Assocham managing committee senior member Babu Lal Jain, World Vision India national director Cherian Thomas, Eram Scientific Solutions Pvt Ltd CEO Anvar Sadath K, Partnerships for Innovation (USAID-India) director Jason Singer.