The journey from ODF to ODF Plus Model has not been about ticking boxes, but about ensuring that households, schools, and anganwadi centres reflect the success of the rural water and sanitation missions.
Telangana has highest number of villages declared 'Open Defecation Free Plus', the 'plus' signifying sustained ODF status, solid and liquid waste management, and visual cleanliness.
Every year on 19 November, the UN celebrates World Toilet Day to create awareness about the 4.2 billion people who are living without ‘safely managed sanitation’.
A field survey conducted by Centre for Policy Research, University of Texas and UC Berkely tracked changes in open defecation in rural north India in the last five years.
Former IAS officer Parameswaran Iyer built 11 crore toilets all over India in 60 months. That's how PM Modi could declare rural India open-defecation free.
Nick Jonas is not trying to modernise the mangalsutra, but his gesture shows that choices can be equal. If commitment must be flaunted, it need not be gendered.
Ours is a country that is full of street garbage. Swatch Bharat is just another failed scheme of socialist India.