India Celebrates Milestone with 75% of Villages Declaring ODF Plus Status

India’s Jal Shakti minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, recently announced a significant achievement in the country’s sanitation efforts. He reported that 75% of Indian villages, totaling about 4.4 lakh, have attained the coveted ‘Open Defecation Free Plus’ (ODF Plus) status. This milestone signifies a crucial step toward fulfilling the goals of the second phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin by 2024-25.

What is ODF Plus?

An ‘ODF Plus’ village is one that has not only maintained its Open Defecation Free (ODF) status but has also successfully implemented either solid or liquid waste management systems.

National Progress:

• Over 4.43 lakh villages in India have voluntarily declared themselves as ODF Plus.
• This achievement is a significant stride in the nationwide sanitation campaign.

State-wise Success:

• Villages in 14 states and Union Territories (UTs) have achieved ODF Plus Status.
• Four among them have been declared as ‘ODF Plus Model’ villages.

Top Performing States and UTs:

The following states and UTs boast 100% ODF Plus villages:

• • Andaman and Nicobar Islands
  • Dadra Nagar Haveli
  • Goa
  • Gujarat
  • Himachal Pradesh
  • Jammu & Kashmir
  • Karnataka
  • Kerala
  • Ladakh
  • Puducherry
  • Sikkim
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Telangana
  • Tripura

‘ODF Plus Model’ Villages:

• Among these, Andaman and Nicobar, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu, Jammu and Kashmir, and Sikkim have achieved the coveted ‘ODF Plus Model’ status, showcasing exemplary sanitation and waste management practices.

ODF Plus Villages Classification:

Out of the 4,43,964 ODF Plus villages, the breakdown is as follows:

• • 2,92,497 villages are categorized as ‘ODF Plus Aspiring’ with arrangements for either solid waste or liquid waste management systems.
  • 55,549 villages fall under ‘ODF Plus Rising’ with arrangements for both solid and liquid waste management.
  • 96,018 villages have achieved the status of ‘ODF Plus Model,’ demonstrating comprehensive waste management systems.

Waste Management Infrastructure:

• India’s progress in waste management is evident with 2,31,080 villages having arrangements for solid waste management.
• Additionally, 3,76,353 villages have established systems for handling liquid waste.

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