The Chhattisgarh Government has fixed a target of making 32 cities and towns 'open defecation-free' (ODF) by December 2016.
Officials stated that Union Urban Development Ministry had fixed a target for three municipal corporations, five Nagar Palika Parishads and Nagar Panchayats to be open defecation-free (ODF) in Chhattisgarh by December 2016.
Four urban bodies Ambikapur, Dhamtari, Akaltara and Mana Camp will attain total Solid Waste Management status. The Department officials said that about 60,000 private concrete toilets had been built and 40,615 toilets are under various stages of construction.
The three municipal corporations are- Dhamtari, Ambikapur and Birgaon and five nagar palikas Akaltara , Balodabazar , Balrampur, Deepika, Kharsia and 24 nagar panchayats Mana Camp, Dhamda, Patan, Gurur, Chikalaksa, Bodla, Ambagadh Chwki, Baloda, Kharora, Chura, Bhilaigarh, Kurud, Gharghoda, Kirodimal Nagar, Baramkela, lakhanpur, Sitapur, Rajpur, Bisrampur, Jarhi, Bhatgaon, Bhanupratapur, Narharpur and Kota are in the list.
The circular had instructed the district administration to attain total 'open defecation-free' status by December this year.
It may be recalled that the State Urban Development Authority (SUDA) will soon select an 'Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation' (AMRUT) Mission Management Unit for ensuring proper implementation of the mega Centrally sponsored project in nine districts of the State.
Notably, last month, the Central government had released the first installment of Rs 55.29 crore out of the approved Rs 573.40 crore for State Annual Action Plan (SAAP) under AMRUT project for the current financial year in Chhattisgarh.
The Union Ministry of Urban Development has already released Central Assistance of Rs 1,062.27 crore to 13 States as first installment under AMRUT project for the current financial year, officials stated.
This is a part of total Central Assistance of Rs 5,311.38 crore committed to 13 States for which the Ministry has approved Atal Mission Action Plans for 2015-16 entailing total investment of Rs.11,671.76 cr in 286 cities in these states.
The Ministry has so far cleared a total of 939 projects for 286 cities with most of them related to water supply and sewerage network services.
AMRUT project launched in June this year aims at ensuring water supply connections and sewer connections to all urban households in 500 mission cities besides supplying water at the norm of 135 litres per capita per day, on priority. Under this mission, construction of storm water drains, promotion of non-motorised urban transport, provision of parks and green spaces also will be supported.
Under the Mission, Central assistance is provided based on an objective criteria giving equal weightage to the total urban population and number of statutory urban bodies in each state. Total central assistance of Rs.50,000 crore has been provisioned under the mission for 5 years. Central assistance is upto 50% of project costs for cities with population of less than 10 lakhs each and up to one-third for cities with population above 10 lakhs each.
The purpose of AMRUT is to ensure that every household has access to a tap with assured supply of water and a sewerage connection, increase in amenity value of cities by developing greenery and well maintained open spaces (parks) and reduce pollution by switching to public transport or constructing facilities for non-motorized transport (like walking and cycling).
Districts identified for AMRUT mission are-- Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Bhilai, Rajnandgaon, Korba, Raigarh, Ambikapur and Jagdalpur, said official sources.