Over 99 per cent of cities across country become Open Defecation Free

Government yesterday said that more than 99 per cent of the cities across the country have become Open Defecation Free, ODF. Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry celebrated six glorious years of Swachh Bharat Mission - urban and organised a webinar on ‘Swachhata ke 6 saal, Bemisaal.

Speaking on the ocassion, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, it is time to reaffirm pledge for Swachhatam Bharat, Swasthatam Bharat - Cleaner and healthier India.

He said  this spirit of Jan Andolan and Jan Bhagidari is exemplified by the Swachh Survekshan 2020 in which over 12 crores of citizens have participated in the



survey. The Minister said, when Swachh Bharat Mission- urban was launched in 2014, it was with the vision of achieving Clean India by 2nd October 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation.

Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary, Durga Shanker Mishra said, from a position of zero ODF states and cities in 2014, more than 97 per cent of Indian cities have now become ODF. He said, in Swachh Bharat Mission, from a meagre 18 per cent of solid waste processing in 2014, now up to 67 per cent of solid waste is being processed, and more than 77 per cent wards are practising source segregation.