Jal Shakti Ministry launches rural toilet usage, cleanliness awareness campaign

New Delhi, Nov 20 Local eminent personalities, Padma awardees and school children are being roped in to spread awareness on sustaining toilet usage and cleanliness in villages as part of ‘Hamara Shauchalaya, Hamara Bhavishya’ campaign, a Jal Shakti Ministry official said on Thursday.

The nationwide campaign, launched to mark World Toilet Day 2025, observed on November 19, will continue till December 10, which is celebrated as Human Rights Day, said the official of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation in a statement.

The key objectives of the ‘Hamara Shauchalaya, Hamara Bhavishya’ campaign include enhancing functionality and undertaking repairs of Community Sanitary Complexes (CSCs) and Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs).

It is also focusing on assessing and strengthening existing operation and maintenance (O&M) systems for community toilets and promoting and encouraging communities for aesthetic upliftment of their CSCs and IHHLs, said the statement.

The campaign will also aim to generate awareness in the community and especially in schools regarding the importance of sanitation and hygiene for the individual, the community and the country; safe handling of faecal waste, including retrofitting or moving towards community faecal sludge management arrangements and Climate Resilient Sanitation and Service Delivery Protocol, it said.

“States/UTs have also been requested to identify and engage local eminent personalities/Padma awardees/Retired Armed Forces and paramilitary personnel/ senior citizens/youth groups (NSS, NYKS, NCC) and school children for awareness generation and to support various activities aimed at sustaining toilet usage and cleanliness,” said the statement.

The campaign has been designed to enhance cross-sectoral and community engagement whereby responsibilities have been allocated at Gram Panchayat, Block, and District levels in States/UTs for activities to be undertaken during the campaign period, it said.

The Ministry has also advised felicitation of sanitation workers and distribution of IHHL sanction letters to eligible beneficiaries as part of the campaign.

Since the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) in 2014, India has made unprecedented progress towards ensuring access to sanitation in rural areas and making our villages Open Defecation Free (ODF), with more than 11 crore toilets being constructed till 2019, said the statement.

Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase-II was launched in 2020 and focuses on ensuring ODF sustainability as a key component of an ODF Plus Model village. During the ‘Hamara Shauchalaya, Hamara Bhavishya’ Campaign, States/UTs have been requested to work on strengthening the on-ground systems built under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen).

--IANS

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