Odisha government has said the state has registered a substantial progress in toilet coverage under the 'Swachh Bharat Mission' and set a target to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by the end of 2018.
"We are trying to achieve the target to become the ODF state by the end of this year," Chief Secretary A P Padhi told reporters yesterday after reviewing the progress with Parameswaran Iyer, union government secretary to the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
Padhi said, "we have made substantial progress in comparison to October, 2014 when we started the campaign. As of now two districts like Deogarh and Jharsuguda, have been declared ODF. Detail work plan has been made to make four other districts ODF by the end of July. These districts are Balasore, Gajapati, Sambalpur and Subarnapur."
Taking a district wise review of the progress, Iyer applauded the focus of the districts in behavioural change of the people in SBM campaign. He said "Odisha has gathered momentum in the mission campaign and it is right time to push it ahead with more speed."
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