October 22 : Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, said that State would attain Solid and Liquid Waste Management in rural areas in collaboration with allied departments, agencies and civil society organisations since sustainability of ODF formed an important component of State Sanitation Policy and concerted efforts being made to attain Nirmal Himachal status by year. He was delivering his inaugural address in the three-day long workshop on sustainability of the Rural Sanitation Initiatives in India, jointly organised by Department of Rural Development, Himachal Pradesh, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex (UK) and CLTS Foundation, wherein participants from 20 states were taking part, at Shimla today.
Chief Minister said that the state government had started releasing matching grants for rain water harvesting tanks in schools and gram panchayats to achieve the target of Total Sanitation Campaign. He said that the state government had made a provision of Rs. 411.80 lakhs under various competition based Award Schemes like Mahrishi Valmiki Sampooran Swachhta Puruskar Scheme, School Sanitation Reward Scheme and Mahila Mandal Protsahan Yojna in addition to provision of State Share of Rs. 521.50 lakhs. He said that in support with the PRIs and Public Support for Sanitation Campaign, considerable achievements had been made in theState and in case of Individual Household Toilets, the achievement of the State for BPL families was 91 percent and for Non-BPL it was at 98 percent with combined success rate of 97 percent. He said that the State would ensure 100 percent sanitation coverage of all schools, aanganwaries and community places on priority.
Prof. Dhumal said that the State Government was providing upfront subsidy for individual house hold latrine beneficiaries on achieving the ODF status by the gram panchayat. He said that Himachal Pradesh had adopted the Total Sanitation Campaign as Community Led Campaign to ensure that the State not only makes achievements in creating the physical infrastructure under the Campaign but also resulted in sustainability of the achieved status. He said that with the goal of ‘Swachh Himachal, Swasth Himachal’ (Clean Himachal, Healthy Himachal), ensuring universal coverage of sanitation facilities among the priority areas the State Government was ensuring improvement in health indicators, effective sanitation campaign not only to ensure safety and security but a direct impact upon the self-esteem, honour and social security of womenfolk. He said that the State had adopted the slogan of ‘ Ek Bhi Ghar Chhooth Gaya – Swachhta Chakra Toot Gaya’ to achieve hundred percent achievement under Total Sanitation Campaign. He appealed to the people of the State to make the campaign a success and Himachal Pradesh a Clean and Green state in all respects.
Shri Jai Ram Thakur, Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister, said that physical achievement under individual household toilet had increased from 45 percent two years ago to 95 percent during current year and project budget also increased from Rs. 102 crore to Rs. 150 crore. He said that out of 3,243 gram panchayats 2,890 gram panchayats had achieved the status of ODF. He said that left out 353 difficult and backward gram panchayats would also be made ODF by year end. He said that 520 of the gram panchayats had been awarded Nirmal Gram Puruskar. He said that various motivational initiatives had been taken to inculcate competetiveness amongst the gram panchayats to achieve the objective of Total Sanitation and ODF.
Shri A.K.Mishra, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water Supply, Government of India, complemented the Chief Minister, for achieving 97 percent under Total Sanaitation Campaign. He detailed various components of the Scheme and said that political will, active participation of the panchayati raj institutions and effective communication through motivators were essential ingredients for the success of the scheme. He said that Nirmal Gram Puruskar would be awarded to only those gram panchayats where best hygienic conditions were maintained in the villages in addition to Solid and Liquid Waste Management in rural areas for declaration as Nirmal Gram Panchayat.
Prof. Robert Chambers from Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex (UK) and Dr. Kamal Kar from CLTS Foundation also addressed the inaugural ceremony.
Shri R.D.Dhiman, Secretary PR&RD, welcomed the Chief Minister and other dignitaries to the inaugural ceremony of three-day long Workshop. He said that the department was all set to achieve the target of making Himachal Pradesh Nirmal State of the country by the year end.
Dr. Deepak Sanan, Principal Secretary MPP&P, Shri Narender Chauhan, Principal Secretary, IPH, Dr.R.N.Batta, Director of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development, principal secretaries, secretaries, heads of departments of the state and other participating states,, NGOs, panchayati raj institutions representatives and prominent people from different organisations were present on the occasion.
We are willing to implemnt in Maruthampallam Panchayat, Sempbanorkovil Block of Nagapattinam District in Tamil Nadu.
This new helps me to understand the Solid Waste managemnt initiatives in HP.