Our target is to make 30 more districts ODF by year end: CM
Bijnor, Hapur and Ghaziabad have already earned the status
ALLAHABAD : Chief minister Yogi Adityanath declared 1011 gram sabhas located on the banks of the Ganga open defecation free (ODF) under the Swachh Bharat Mission on Saturday.
He also declared 24 villages as Ganga Gram, flagging off 30 ‘Swachhata Raths’ to spread awareness about the benefits of sanitation in different parts of the state.
“Three districts in the state including Bijnor, Hapur and Ghaziabad have been declared ODF while target for making 30 more districts achieve ODF status by Dec 2017 has been set,” the CM said at a programme held at the United College of Engineering.
Yogi said the target was to build 1.91 lakh crore toilets in rural areas. Of it, 43 lakh toilets had been constructed while 30 lakh more were set to come up in urban parts of the state. Out of it, 5 lakh toilets had been constructed, he said. Under the PM Awas Yojna, 24 lakh houses would be constructed by 2019. Of it, two lakh would be constructed in 2016-17 in the state, the CM said.
“Hectic efforts are being made to make Ardh Kumbh 2019 special. Out of proposed Rs 2300 crore budget, Rs 500 crore has been released. Magh Mela 2018 would be a rehearsal for 2019 Kumbh Mela. Around 12 to 15 crore devotees are expected in the Ardh Kumbh,” Yogi added.
Union minister for water resources and Ganga rejuvenation, Uma Bharti, said on the occasion that declaring the Ganga the heritage river will help in restoring its glory.
“The Ganga is one of top 10 dirtiest rivers in the world with its stretch around Kanpur being the worst. Power projects and dams in past have affected its existence critically. To save the river, Ganga Gram initiative with Rs 1750 crore budgetary provision has been launched of which Rs 578 crore has been spent for making villages on the banks of the Ganga get ODF status. The remaining amount would be spent for beatification of the villages located near the Ganga,” she said.
Bharti said tenders had been invited for waste water purchase and that the contract will be for 15 years. Union minister for panchayati raj, drinking water and sanitation Narendra Singh Tomar, deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya besides MPs Shyama Charan Gupta, Virendra Sonker, Virendra Singh Mast and party MLAs were also present at the function.
The contribution of several officials, including district magistrates of a few districts, to Swachh Bharat Mission was also acknowledged on the occasion.