Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Realising Swachch Bharat's 100% ODF mission

NEW DELHI: With India's Swachch Bharat Mission going ahead in full swing, the country has realised the goal of 100% rural sanitation coverage well before its 75th Independence Day, according to the government.

The government recently released figures to show how rural sanitation coverage in the country has risen by leaps and bounds in the last decade, going from 31% in 2011 to almost 100% in 2021.

Figures show that rural sanitation — percentage of population with toilets within/attached to their houses — was just 1% in 1981.

According to government data, over 10 crore household toilets have been constructed under the rural Swachh Bharat Mission, launched in 2014.



It added that over 6 lakh villages in the country have been declared open-defecation free.

Last year, the ministry of Jal Shakti released a statement saying that rural sanitation coverage of almost 100% has been achieved due to availability of toilet facilities to all villagers and their motivation to use toilets.

"As a result of the Swachh Bharat Mission, 55 crore people changed their behaviour and started using toilets. With the attainment of Swachh Bharat, there has been a significant reduction in water and sanitation related diseases," the ministry had said.