Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Status of open defecation in rural areas, 27/03/2017. The focus of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) is on behaviour change of people to adopt safe sanitation and use toilet. In order to educate the people, the programme lays emphasis on community involvement.

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Sanitation scheme for villages, 27/03/2017. Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) is under implementation in 675 districts. All areas in a district including hilly areas are supposed to be covered under the programme. State/UT wise details is at Annexure 1.

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Open defecation free villages, 27/03/2017. State-wise, number of villages declared open defecation free as on 10th March, 2017 is at Annexure-1. Sanitation Coverage as on 2.10.2014 were 41.64% and 31.82% in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh respectively which has increased to 77.58% and 56.71% respectively as on 23.3.2017. 60% and 31% villages of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF). Also 5 districts of Chhattisgarh and 2 districts of Madhya Pradesh have been declared ODF.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Sanitation Standard, 09/03/2017. The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) (SBM-G) entails freedom from open defecation and management of solid and liquid waste. The SBM-G guidelines also provide setting up systems for scientific disposal of waste.

Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Ashutosh Kumar Sharma Vs. State of Uttar Pradesh & Others dated 23/01/2017 regarding sewage disposal in
village Shobhapur, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. The Applicant has stated that till now there was no sewage line or mode of sewage discharge or treatment.

India has far higher open defecation rates than other developing regions where people are poorer, literacy rates are lower, and water is relatively more scarce. In practice, government programmes in rural India have paid little attention in understanding why so many rural Indians defecate in the open rather than use affordable pit latrines. Drawing on new data, a study points out that widespread open defecation in rural India is on account of beliefs, values, and norms about purity, pollution, caste, and untouchability that cause people to reject affordable latrines.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Open Defecation Free Villages, 01/12/2016. The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) has been launched on 2nd October, 2014, which aims

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Open defecation free villages, 28/11/2016. As per the information uploaded by the States/UTs on the Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), State/UT-wise, number of villages that have declared themselves as Open Defecation Free (ODF) as on 22.11.2016 is at Annexure-1. State/UT-wise, number of ODF Districts/Blocks/Villages (both declared and verified) is at Annexure-2. District-wise, number of ODF Blocks/Villages in Chhattisgarh (both declared and verified) is at Annexure-3.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Review of SBM-G, 24/11/2016. Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation regularly reviews the progress made under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). Sanitation Coverage, which was 42.05% on 2.10.2014, has increased to 57.15% on 21.11.2016. Total1,19,745 Villages have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) as on 21-11-2016.Coverage in Karnataka was 41.35% as on 2.10.2014, which has been increased to 61.10% as on 21.11.2016.Detail of States/UTs including Karnataka is at Annexure-1.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Monitoring of Swachch Bharat Mission, 24/11/2016. State/UT-wise, number of household which have been provided Central Assistance and constructed Individual household latrines during last three years and the current year is at Annexure-1. State/UT-wise, central share expenditure reported on the construction of Community Sanitary Complexes during each of the last three years and in current year is at Annexure-2. State/UT-wise, Community Sanitary Complexes constructed during each of the last three years and in current year is at Annexure-3.

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