Half of India's villages attain ODF plus status: Ministry of Jal Shakti

According to the release, to date, over 296,000 villages have declared themselves ODF Plus

Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, on Wednesday, announced in a press briefing that half of India's villages have attained 'Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus' status under the Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin (SBM-G) Phase II.

An ODF Plus village is one which has not only sustained its status but also implements either solid or liquid waste management systems. To date, over 296,000 villages have declared themselves ODF Plus, the ministry said in a statement. The declaration of achieving ODF Plus acts as a significant step towards attaining the SBM-G phase II goals by 2024-25.

Data from the ministry shows that "out of the 296,928 ODF Plus villages, nearly 208,613 villages are 'ODF Plus Aspiring' villages with arrangements for Solid Waste Management or Liquid Waste Management, whereas, 32,030 villages are ODF Plus Rising villages with arrangements for both Solid Waste Management and Liquid Waste Management and 56,285 villages are ODF Plus Model villages."

Following are among the top performing big states in terms of percentage: Telangana (100 per cent), Karnataka (99.5 per cent), Tamil Nadu (97. per cent), and Uttar Pradesh (95.2 per cent). Whereas, Goa (95.3 per cent), and Sikkim (69.2 per cent) are the top performers in terms of small states. Among UTs – Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra Nagar Haveli & Daman Diu, and Lakshadweep have 100 per cent ODF Plus Model villages.

The report also shows that between 2014-15 and 2021-22, a total of Rs 83,938 crore to Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen was allocated by the Union government. The allocation for the year 2023-24 is Rs. 52,137 crore. In addition to the SBM(G) funds, there is a clear allocation of 15th FC funds for sanitation. 

The achievement of 50 per cent of ODF Plus villages comes at a very crucial time as this year marks nine years of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

The report also suggests that the SBM-G programme has been instrumental in improving the well-being and health of millions of individuals across India. In terms of plastic waste management, 831 plastic waste management units have been set up along with 119,449 waste collection & segregation sheds.