Sikkim: India’s first state to achieve 100% sanitation coverage

February 16, 2014

As per the report released by the Union Ministry of Drinking water and Sanitation, Sikkim became the only state in India to achieve 100% sanitation in rural and urban households, schools, sanitary complexes and Aanganwadi centres.
Under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan scheme, the Himalayan state, Sikkim has constructed 98,043 individual household latrines against the target of 87,014 till January, and achieved 112.67% of its target. The scheme was implemented by the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

The state has also sensitized people to adopt a holistic approach to improve sanitation and hygiene in a clean environment while accelerating its overall development.
Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling launched a community-led total sanitation campaign in 1999 for achieving full sanitation in the 7,096 sq km area of the state.
And, to encourage sanitation activities, the state government has instituted a “Nirmal Gram Puraskar” (Clean Village Award).
Sikkim also topped the list among all states of the country in net performance indicators.

About Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA)

Community-led total sanitation program initiated by Government of India in 1999.
Mission: To eradicate the practice of open defecation by 2017.
Ambassador: Bollywood Actress Vidya Balan.
Objective: Accelerate sanitation coverage in rural areas to achieve the vision of Nirmal Bharat by 2022 with all gram Panchayats in the country attaining Nirmal status.
Motivate communities and Panchayati Raj Institutions promoting sustainable sanitation facilities through awareness creation and health education.
Encourage cost effective and appropriate technologies for ecologically safe and sustainable sanitation.
Govt. of India launched Nirmal Gram Puraskar (NGP) to encourage the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to take up rural sanitation promotion and attain 100% open defecation free Panchayats.
Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) is being implemented in association with Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) at all levels, through social mobilization for construction of toilets and also maintain clean environment by way of safe disposal of wastes.

Note: Sikkim is India’s least populated and second smallest state in area after Goa.
The ministry of road transport and highways has ordered to all public transport vehicles plying in cities with a population of more than 10 Lakh will have to install GPS (Global Positioning System) devices by February 20, 2014.

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