Goa will achieve ODF status by October: Union minister Puri

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri today said he was confident that Goa will become hundred per cent 'open defecation free' by October 2018.
Puri, who held a press conference in the presence of chief minister Manohar Parrikar here, said 2,260 cities in the country have become open defecation free so far.
"I was told by the Goa chief minister that the state will be hundred per cent open defecation free by October 2018. I have no doubt that the state will achieve this goal," the minister said after chairing meetings to review various urban development initiatives in Goa.

The Goa government is doing very well in the implementation of affordable housing scheme, utilisation of funds under the AMRUT scheme and other similar projects, the Union minister said.
He praised the implementation of a scheme for affordable housing for homeless in the state, saying some 5,000 families which are yet to get its benefit will be covered by next year.
Puri also praised the state for its "impressive strides" in solid waste management.
"The state has a very good project which converts waste into energy and it needs to be replicated throughout the country," he said.