Lok Sabha Question No. 1708 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-20
Subject: Sanitation Coverage
Ministry: DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
Asked by: OM BIRLA

## Government of India Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1708 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20-12-2018

## Sanitation Coverage

## 1708. SHRI OM BIRLA:

Will the Minister of DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION be pleased to state :

(a)  the steps taken by the Government for the 'behavioural change' in rural population to attain the real motive behind sanitation programme;

(b) whether the Government has taken note of the fact that sanitation coverage across many States in considerably low, if yes provide the details regarding steps taken by the Government to uplift the pace of sanitation in the low performing States;

(c) whether the Government has also taken cognizance of poor nature of construction and low quality of raw materials being used in the construction of toilets under cleanliness drive; and

(d)  if  so,  enumerate  the  corrective  steps  that  have  been  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER & SANITATION (SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)

(a) Under  Swachh  Bharat  Mission  (Gramin)  [SBM(G)],  the  preferable  approach  is  to adopt  Community  Approaches  to  Sanitation  (CAS)  focusing  heavily  on  triggering  entire communities  and  on  achieving  collective  behavioral  change  with  emphasis  on  awareness generation.  Upto 5% of the programme funds can be spent on Information, Education and Communication (IEC) and capacity building at the State and District level, and upto 3% at the Central level. Massive media campaigns have been started at national level using Audio Visual (TV) and Audio (Radio) aids. States are also carrying out IEC campaign  including interpersonal  Communication  (IPC).  Cleanliness  drives  and  awareness  campaigns  are  also held at regular intervals.  NigraniSamities have been formed in the villages to ensure that the people use the toilets and not go for open defecation.  Regular field visits including morning follow ups are undertaken by the Government officials to monitor and ensure the usage of toilets.    Besides  conventional  IEC  tools,  social  media  is  also  being  used for  spreading  the mass  awareness.  Swachh  Bharat  Whatsapp  group  has  been  created  involving  officials  of Government  of  India  and  all  the  States.    Similar  groups  for  individual  States  have  been formed.  A Facebook page for SBM(G) has been created and twitter handles are also active. Media celebrities have been roped in as brand ambassadors.

(b) Government had launched the SBM(G) on 2 nd October, 2014 with the aim to achieve 100% open-defecation  free  (ODF)  India  by  2 nd October,  2019.So  far,  25  States/UTs  have been declared ODF. The remaining States are on track to become ODF by 2 nd October, 2019.

(c) and (d) Sanitation is a State subject andhence the responsibility for implementation of the programme lies with the States. Government of India provides technical and financial support to  supplement  the  efforts  of  the  State  Governments.Complaints,  if  any,  received  are forwarded to the respective State Governments for appropriate corrective measures.