World Toilet Day 2020: India Achieved Goal Of Having Toilets In Every House 11 Years Before Target, Says Jal Shakti Minister

New Delhi: India achieved the United Nations’ sustainable development goal of having toilets in every house by 2030 eleven years ahead of target, said Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on World Toilet Day. Speaking to the media after a virtual event where top districts and states were felicitated with the ‘Swachhata Puraskar’, the Minister also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership in the achievement of the feat.

Also Read: World Toilet Day 2020: Jack Sim, Founder Of World Toilet Organisation And Mark Balla, Author, Talk About The Importance Of Hygiene During COVID Pandemic

The United Nations announced as part of its sustainable development goals that there should be toilets in every house till 2030. I am very happy that India achieved it in 2019, 11 years ahead of target, and that too when about 60 per cent of the world’s open defecators were here. We have achieved this despite the social stigma and taboo, he said.

“This is all thanks to the Prime Minister’s communications skills, his leadership and his persuasion. The country stood together in this cause. In order to maintain the sustainability of this, we have to pursue ‘Open Defecation Free plus’, which will take sanitisation to the next level. Development is taking place in rural areas to properly dispose of solid and liquid waste,” he added.

World Toilet Day was observed on Thursday (November 19). On the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India strengthens its resolve for toilets for all and the country has seen an unparalleled achievement of providing hygienic toilets to crores of countrymen.

“On World Toilet Day, India strengthens its resolve of #Toilet4All. The last few years have seen an unparalleled achievement of providing hygienic toilets to crores of Indians. It has brought tremendous health benefits along with dignity, especially to our Nari Shakti,” he tweeted.

Also Read: World Toilet Day 2020: Beyond The ODF Tag, This Is India’s Next Big Challenge

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.