A National Workshop on open defecation free (ODF) verification and Financial Streamlining was organized by Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation with the support of UNICEF and the State Government of Rajasthan in Jaipur. The purpose of the workshop was to share mechanisms through which States are verifying the ODF status of their villages and districts.
The National Workshop was attended by the Minister of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development, Rajasthan Government, Shri Surendra Kumar Goyal, and the Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Parameswaran Iyer. Shri Goyal addressed the gathering and presented a brief status of the sanitation situation in Rajasthan and also stated that by March 2017, 10 districts would be declared ODF and that attempts were being made to ensure that Rajasthan becomes ODF by 2018.
Shri Parameswaran Iyer, in his introductory remarks, emphasized the need for formalizing the mechanisms of verification. The Secretary also highlighted that the States need to prioritize sanitation in the overall development agenda and adopt the approach of community participation and behavior change.
The session also included experiences from various States including Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Sikkim and West Bengal, and presentations were made on the ODF verification protocol followed in these respective States.
The workshop also deliberated on financial streamlining, so as to avoid delays in incentives reaching the last mile. Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and other States shared their mechanisms. The workshop concluded with discussions on implementation challenges faced by the States and possible solutions for the same.
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