Economic Survey: ‘Swachh Bharat’ Needs to Move to ‘Sundar Bharat’

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan – one of the flagship schemes of the Modi government – has been a great success and will take the country towards a Sundar Bharat, according to the Economic Survey.

The survey said these efforts will culminate in "Swachh" (clean), "Swasth" (healthy) and "Sundar" (beautiful) Bharat.

"Going forward, the Swachh Bharat mission needs to incorporate environmental and water management issues for sustainable improvements in the long term," said the survey.

Becoming Open Defecation Free (ODF) has also reduced deaths due to diarrhoea, malaria especially among under-five children, stillbirths and newborns with weight less than 2.5 kgs, and thereby improved child health and nutrition. This effect is particularly pronounced in districts where Individual Household Latrine (IHHL) coverage was lower.

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As per the Economic Survey, through the Swachh Bharat mission, 99.2 per cent of rural India has been covered. Since October 2, 2014, over 9.5 crore toilets have been built all over the country and 5,64,658 villages have been declared ODF. (IANS)