Ranchi: The state drinking water and sanitation department will launch a special campaign to accelerate the declaration of villages as ODF Plus model villages under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen). This decision follows a review that revealed progress is significantly below the target.
Current Status and Targets
Out of 15,890 villages targeted across 16 divisions, only 4,173 have achieved the highest 5-star ODF Plus status so far. Expressing dissatisfaction with the pace, the secretary ordered an immediate campaign to speed up the process. Officials were also directed to urgently address the backlog in first-level ODF Plus verification. While 4,173 villages were declared model ODF Plus, verification is complete for just 1,824 villages, leaving 2,349 pending.
Understanding ODF Plus Status
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), a 5-star ODF Plus village represents the highest tier of rural cleanliness, equivalent to 'Model' status. According to the SBM(G) 2.0 dashboard, Jharkhand currently lags with only 30.08% coverage in ODF Plus model villages, with 8,821 villages declared across all 32 divisions.
Priority Villages and Toilet Construction
"Villages covered under the PM-JANMAN scheme, Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, Aspirational Districts, and Aspirational Blocks must be declared as 5-star category ODF Plus villages on a priority basis," the secretary told officials. The review also highlighted dismal performance in toilet construction. For the 2026-27 fiscal year, a target of building 2,74,191 toilets was set across the 16 divisions. However, only 4,442 applications were approved and a mere 3,375 toilets were constructed to date. Taking a serious view of the delay, the secretary mandated that all pending applications be approved within 40 days, alongside an immediate push to scale up construction.
Water Quality Monitoring
With the monsoon looming and the threat of waterborne diseases rising, field test kits for water quality monitoring were distributed during the session. Engineers were instructed to conduct periodic water testing, keeping the threat of diarrhoea in mind.
Review Coverage
Thursday's review covered the divisions of Adityapur, Chaibasa, Chakradharpur, Chas, Deoghar, Dhanbad I and II, Garhwa, Giridih I and II, Dumka I and II, Godda, Gumla, and Hazaribag. A similar review for the remaining 16 divisions is scheduled for Friday.
