Selected districts, Janpad and distict Panchayats were presented awards for outstanding works at State-level Swachchhata Mahotsav here on Wednesday. The awardees were felicitated with shields and citations.
District collectors, CEOs of Janpad and Zila Panchayats and District Coordinators of Sehore, Bhopal and Narsinghpur district were given away state-level award for construction of maximum number of toilets in the state. Collector Sehore Sudam Khande, Collector Harda Rajneesh Shrivastava, Collector Bhopal Nishant Warwade, 20 anganwadis, Collector Narsinghpur Naresh Kumar Pal, Collector Raisen JK Jain and CEO and District Coordinator were given state-level award for freeing Gram Panchayats from open-area defecation. State-level awards were also given away for freeing villages from curse of open-area defecation to 17 Janpad Panchayats, 105 Gram Panchayats and 2 schools.
Additional Chief Secretary Panchayats and Rural Development Aruna Sharma said that sanitation is necessary for prosperity of country and state. She said that entire state will be freed from curse of open-area defecation by year 2019 as per resolve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sharma also lauded awareness towards sanitation brought about among rural women. She said that apart from construction of toilets, their regular use is also necessary. She said that panchayat representatives and Gram Patels will have to work actively for this.
Arrangement of one sanitation worker will be made under Panch Parmeshwar Yojana from next year for cleaning village roads, drains and toilets of anganwadis and schools. Secretary Panchayats and Rural Development Sanjeev Kumar Jha said that widespread awareness has been brought about among villagers of the state towards Swachchhata Abhiyan. UNICEF’s State Head Trevor Clarke said that all should unitedly face the challenge of construction of toilet in every rural household. He said that UNICEF will cooperate in community-run Swachchhata Abhiyan.
Collector Sehore Sudam Khande and Nirmala Kathale, Sarpanch of Nayapura Gram Panchayat under Bagli Janpad of Dewas district informed about works to bring about awareness towards sanitation among people and share their experiences. An animation film on sanitation was also screened on the occasion. Commissioner MNREGA Seema Sharma, Commissioner Integrated Child Development Pushplata Singh, CEO of State livelihoods Forum lM Belwal, Mission Director Rajya Shiksha Kendra Aruna Gupta and State Head of MP TAST Shrikrishna Swami were also present on the occasion. Proposing a vote of thanks, State Programme Officer Hemwati Burman said that now Swachchhata Abhiyan in the state will be observed every 6 months.