Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave awards to top ranked State, District and State with maximum citizen participation based on the National Swachh Survekshan Grameen (SSG) 2018 commissioned by Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. The awards by Prime Minister were given at the concluding session of Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention at RahtrapatiBhawan Cultural Centre.
Haryana was ranked as the best State while Satara District of Maharashtra was ranked as the best district as per the ranking undertaken by Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2018. Uttar Pradesh was rewarded for maximum citizens’ participation. Later, Uma Bharti, Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation gave awards at Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra, New Delhi, to top three States and Districts from all the zones of the country.
The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation had commissioned “Swachh Survekshan Grameen-2018” (SSG 2018) through an independent survey agency to develop ranking of all districts of India on the basis of quantitative and qualitative sanitation (Swachhata) parameters. This ranking was done based on a comprehensive set of parameters including surveys of public places like schools, Anganwadis, PHCs, Haat/ Bazaars, Panchayat and citizen’s perception of Swachhata and their recommendations for improvement of the programme and data from the SBM-G IMIS.
As part of Swachh Survekshan Grameen, 6,786 villages in 685 Districts across India were covered and 27,963 public places namely schools, anganwadis, public health centres, haat/ bazaars/religious places at these villages were visited by an independent agency for survey.
Around 1,82,531 citizens were interviewed for their feedback at villages on SBM-G related issues. Also, citizens were mobilised to provide feedback on sanitation related issues online using an application developed for the purpose. The collection of data from Direct Observation were based on physical observation of the sanitation status in public places by the survey agency. The survey agency used maps and simple handheld device/recording formats to record their observations and findings along with Photographs/videos, wherever necessary, according to a PIB release.
Feedback from people were obtained using communitywide open meetings, personal interviews and focussed group discussions (FGDs). FGDs were conducted at each village. More than 1.5 crore people participated in the SSG 2018 and provided their feedback.
The SSG 2018 turned out to be massive mass mobilisation exercise with communities at each village undertaking special drives to improve the general cleanliness atn their villages. Gram Panchayats invested funds from their local area development fund to augment the sanitation situation in public places.
The top three ranked states were : Haryana, Gujarat, and Maharashtra while the top three districts were Satara (Maharashtra), Rewari ( Haryana), and Pedapalli ( Telangana).