World Toilet Day

• 19 Nov 2022

Why in News?

Each year World Toilet Day is observed on the 19^th November to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable sanitation to keep people healthy.

• The theme for 2022: " Making the invisible visible "

Why is World Toilet Day Celebrated?

• Background:
  • World toilet day is observed annually since 2013.
• Aim:
  • It is about taking action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: sanitation and water for all by 2030.
    • The theme of this year explores how inadequate sanitation systems spread human waste into rivers, lakes and soil, polluting underground water resources.
• India’s Approach & Achievements:
  • This year, the Ministry of Jal Shakti, under the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G) is organising ‘Swachhta Run’ across rural India.
    • SBM-G is recognised as the world’s largest behavior change program.
  • India has already achieved SDG Target 6.2 pertaining to access to safe sanitation, when the entire county achieved Open Defecation Free State (ODF) status in 2019; it is persistent in its efforts to now achieve ODF+ status.

What is Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G)?

• About:
  • It was launched in 2014 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to put focus on sanitation.
  • The mission was implemented as nation-wide campaign/Janandolan which aimed at eliminating open defecation in rural areas.
• SBM(G) Phase-I:
  • The rural sanitation coverage in the country at the time of launch of SBM (G) on 2nd October, 2014 was reported as 38.7%.
  • More than 10 crore individual toilets have been constructed since the launch of the mission, as a result, rural areas in all the States have declared themselves ODF as on 2^nd October, 2019.
• SBM(G) Phase-II:
  • It emphasises the sustainability of achievements under phase I and to provide adequate facilities for Solid/Liquid & plastic Waste Management (SLWM) in rural India.
  • It will be implemented from 2020-21 to 2024-25 in a mission mode with a total outlay of Rs. 1,40,881 crores.
  • The SLWM component of ODF+ will be monitored on the basis of output-outcome indicators for 4 key areas:
    • Plastic waste management,
    • Biodegradable solid waste management (including animal waste management),
    • Greywater (Household Wastewater) management
    • Fecal sludge management.
  • Top Performing States:
    • The top five performing states are Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh where maximum number of villages have been declared as ODF Plus.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Q. “To ensure effective implementation of policies addressing the water, sanitation and hygiene needs the identification of the beneficiary segments is to be synchronized with anticipated outcomes.” Examine the statement in the context of the WASH scheme. (2017)

Q. How could social influence and persuasion contribute to the success of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan? (2016)

Source: PIB