States pledge to galvanise behaviour change efforts to ensure ODF India in 2019
Context:
- The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation organized a two-day National Consultation on Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) in Gurugram, Haryana.
Keypoints:
- The participants focused on a variety of issues related to SBM(G), including progress so far, way forward, with a particular focus on IEC (Information Education Communication) efforts underway in the States.
- With the SBM entering its pre-final year of implementation, the States shared their plans on achieving an Open Defecation Free status in 2018, with a strong focus on behaviour change communication, delivered through a mixture of targeted inter-personal communication and mass communication.
- The States to ensure that the toilets constructed under the Mission are used by all members of every household in a village.
- The Ministry also held special sessions on resolving issues faced by the States on a case-to-case basis, with a special focus on the States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha.
- Entrepreneurs in the sanitation sector were also invited to make presentations to the States on innovative toilet technologies developed by them that can help scale up the design and production of toilets, and help design toilets that are easier for use by senior citizens and the differently- abled persons.
Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban Launches Smart Star-Rating for Garbage Free Cities
- Minister of State (I/C) for Housing and Urban Affairs launched the ‘Protocol for Star Rating of Garbage-Free Cities’ in Goa.
- The star-rating initiative, developed by the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban will be rating cities on a 7-star rating system based on multiple cleanliness indicators for solid waste management, which will include Door to Door Collection, bulk generator compliance, source segregation, sweeping, scientific processing of waste, scientific land filling, plastic waste management, construction and demolition management, dump remediation & citizen grievance redressal system etc.
- Cities can be rated as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 star based on their compliance with the protocol conditions specified for each of the rating. Further city should be ODF(Open Defecation Free) before it could be given rating of 3 star or above.
- MoHUA will carry out an additional verification through an independent third party to certify cities as 3-star, 5-star or 7-star.
- The rating protocol should provide stakeholders with a single metric to rate a city’s cleanliness, rather than separately evaluating multiple factors which contribute to a city’s overall cleanliness and garbage free status.
- The SMART rating (Single metric, Measurable, Achievable, Rigorous verification, Targeted towards outcomes) is characterized by Trust and verifies model and sustainability (progressive and to be recertified every year).
- The protocol will involve the participation of all stakeholders and common people to aspire for higher grading in cleanliness.
- The distinctive feature of Star Rating System will be that many cities can have higher stars as compared to only one city can be “Cleanest city” under Swachh Survekshan.
- SBM-Urban’s objective of achieving a ‘clean India’ is encapsulated in the Vision statement of the star-rating protocol, stating that “All cities achieve “Garbage Free” status wherein at any point of time in the day, no garbage or litter is found in any public, commercial or residential locations (including storm drains and water bodies) in the city (except in litter bins or transfer stations); 100 per cent of waste generated is scientifically managed; all legacy waste has been remediated and city is scientifically managing its municipal solid waste, plastic waste and construction & demolition waste.
- Additionally, there must be a steady reduction in the waste generated by the city and visible beautification of the city to achieve a clean & aesthetically pleasing city”.
- It is expected that the Star-rating initiative will be another effective tool for achieving the objectives of Swachh Bharat Mission of “Open Defecation Free and Garbage Free India”
Milk production, which was around 17-22 million tonnes in the 1960s, increased to 165.4 million tonnes in 2016-17.
Facts and Figures:
- Particularly, it increased by 20.12% during the year 2016-17 in comparison to 2013-14.
- Per capita availability of milk increased from 307 grams in 2013-14 to 355 grams in 2016-17, registering a growth of 15.6%.
- Income of Dairy farmers grew by 23.77% during the period 2014-17 in comparison to 2011-14
- Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries has initiated a number of schemes with the objective of doubling the dairy farmers’ income by 2022 and also to increase the milk production by raising the productivity of milch animals.
- Since last 20 years, India continues to be the largest milk producer in the world and the credit goes to the Government initiatives and implementing various schemes to increase the productivity of milch animals.
- The increased consumer interest in high protein diets and increasing awareness & availability of value-added dairy products through organized retail chains are also driving its demand.
- Rashritya Gokul Mission includes setting up of Gokul Gram. These Gokul Grams will act as Centres for development of indigenous breeds and a dependable source for supply of high genetic breeding. Currently, 18 Gokul Grams are being set up in 12 different states.
- The National Bovine Productivity Mission was initiated in November 2016 with an objective to make the dairy business profitable by increasing the milk production and productivity.
- Similarly, for the first time, an e-Pashuhaat portal was created under National Bovine Productivity Mission, which plays an important role in linking milk producers with breeders.
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