Country’s ace archer may have been named as brand ambassador for the total sanitation programmed or Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) in Jharkhand and provided with Rs 4.62 lakh for constructing toilet facility at her Ratu residence but the State Government is still in the process of validating an agreement with her.
The Drinking Water and Sanitation Department, which has already got hold of Rs 10 lakh sanctioned from the Centre for the purpose, is in the search of suitable terms and condition to be signed between the two.
Sources in the Department said that various other departments and even the Election Commission had been contacted to find out the desired format.
“The Secretary has told the officials to search for a copy of the terms and conditions which usually come into effect when agreements related to brand ambassador get signed. Now the full-time Chief Engineer has also retired and any development on the matter would take place only after the post is filled up,” said an official related to NBA.
Notably, the State Government considering dismal State of sanitation, especially rate of open defecation in villages, had decided to give the NBA a fillip by using the popularity of Olympian archer and world number three Deepika Kumari.
The proposal in this regard was approved about two years ago to sign Deepika as brand ambassador for the total sanitation mission.
The Department had taken approval from the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and a letter informing about engaging the archer was sent to Delhi on June 9, 2014.
The letter justifies the decision as she is based in Ranchi which would make her easily accessible.
“The purpose of engaging brand ambassador is to promote and scaling up NBA programme in general and improve toilet construction and use in particular in the State. She will be engaged for photo shoot, TVC, media interaction, promotion events, campaign etc under NBA,” reads the letter sent by the then Chief Engineer cum Executive Director for Jharkhand State Water and Sanitation Mission Sameer Kumar Dawn.
Following the proposal the Department has reportedly even paid Rs 2 lakh to Deepika as token amount but the rest is pending in the want of suitable terms and conditions.
“We have contacted the Election Commission for the paper as they had signed with Deepika as their brand ambassador for elections. But they also refused saying that the Commission had signed her free of cost. We have also contacted her agency and hope that the agreement is signed so that her association with the Department can be materialised and benefits the NBA,” added the official.
State level Scheme Sanctioning Committee (SlSSC) had way back on June 4,2012 approved the proposal and made budgetary provision of Rs 10 lakh for the appointment of the brand ambassador for NBA programme in Jharkhand.
Jharkhand has pathetic open defecation records with just about 8 per cent households having toilet facility in rural areas.
The Department has initiated programmes to make villages ODF (open defecation-free) and few such as Gadri and Hutar were taken up on pilot basis; engaging icons such as Deepika Kumari would have provided the much needed awareness level among masses, especially the villagers towards sanitation.