Jharkhand set to become 'Open Defecation Free' by 2018

Ranchi: The Jharkhand government has set the target to make all gram panchayats and blocks in the state 'Open Defecation Free' (ODF) by 2018.

With that objective, Chief Secretary Raj Bala Verma today asked the concerned department to work towards making 56 blocks of Ramgarh, Sahebganj, Godda, Jamtara, Khunti, Koderma and Lohardaga districts ODF by this year, an official release said.

While 500 Gram Panchayats have been targeted to be developed as ODF, 237 panchayats have already achieved the feat, the release said, adding that the government has targeted to make Jharkhand ODF by 2018.

The top bureaucrat reviewed work progress of drinking water and sanitation department and addressed DCs of all districts through video conferencing about private toilets.

Schemes should be made at different levels to achieve the target and the Deputy Commissioners can take decisions at district level, Verma said.