Over 7 million toilets constructed in urban areas under Swachh Bharat Mission: Amitabh Kant

Due to concerted efforts under Swachh Bharat Mission more than seven million toilets have been constructed in urban areas and several transformative initiatives were implemented, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant has said.

According to an official statement, Kant while releasing a book on fecal sludge and septage management in urban areas on Tuesday said after achieving the open-defecation-free (ODF) target, the government is determined to further improve public health outcomes.

"Due to concerted efforts under Swachh Bharat Mission, more than 7 million toilets have been constructed in urban areas and several transformative initiatives have been implemented, thus enabling India to leapfrog in the sanitation sector like never before," he said.

Also speaking at the event, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra said that considering the importance of National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (NFSSM) solutions, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs came up with the national policy on it in 2017.

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The policy has been rigorously pursued across the country - more than 24 states have adopted it and 12 of them have come up with their own policies, he added.

According to the statement, the target of universal access to toilets was achieved in urban India with the construction of 66 lakh household toilets and more than 6 lakh community and public toilets.

After achieving the target of open-defecation-free, India has now moved towards becoming ODF+ and ODF++, it added.

In fact, in recent times, Amritsar got open-defecation free ++ (ODF++) status from MoHUA under the Swachh Bharat Mission. Similarly, even the city of Patiala was awarded the ODF++ by the Government of India. Both of these cities are one step higher in Swachh Sarvekshan 2021.

The statement also said the FSSM planning prioritises human excreta management, a waste stream with a high potential for spreading diseases.

(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)