New Delhi: Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil will visit Odisha Thursday to participate in activities under the ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, aimed at promoting sanitation and cleanliness across rural India, officials said.
The minister will be joined by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi as the duo will review the state’s efforts in waste management, Open Defecation-Free (ODF) Plus status, and sanitation initiatives under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G), according to an official statement issued here on Wednesday.
During his visit, Paatil will participate in a tree plantation drive in Suando village, the birthplace of Utkalamani Pandit Gopabandhu Das, a noted social reformer, under the ‘Ek ped maa ke naam’ initiative.
The event will also include a visit to the Utkalamani Memorial Museum before heading to Bidyadharpur village, where the Union minister will interact with beneficiaries of the Individual Household Latrines programme and assess the state’s progress in sanitation infrastructure, the statement said.
A convention at Biraramachandrapur Gram Panchayat will mark the launch of the Village Water and Sanitation Committee Training Manual, with demonstrations of water testing by women’s self-help groups (SHGs).
Awards will also be given to the best-performing Gram Panchayats for their efforts in sanitation and cleanliness.
The Union Minister will review Odisha’s progress in achieving ODF Plus Model village status, with 65.88 per cent of villages having already reached this milestone.
Additionally, 91.38 per cent of villages have made arrangements for greywater management, and 70.69 per cent for solid waste management, the statement said.
The minister’s review will focus on sustaining ODF gains, accelerating the use of plastic waste in road construction, and involving SHGs in the operation and maintenance of sanitation assets.
The visit is part of Odisha’s massive efforts under the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, which has seen 25,376 planned events, including the transformation of 2003 Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs) and the establishment of 314 Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivirs for the welfare of sanitation workers.
To date, 11,799 events have been completed with the participation of over 20.7 lakh people. A major event promoting the safety of sanitation workers is scheduled for September 26 across all 314 blocks of Odisha, the statement said.
The ongoing campaign, which runs from September 17 to October 1, will culminate on Gandhi Jayanti, marking the 10th anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission.
PTI