Andhra Pradesh is making a bold commitment to emerge as the first State in the country to make all of its urban areas ‘Open Defecation Free’ by October 2nd this year.

It will also coincide with the two years of the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The State Government officials gave this assurance during a review of the progress of Swachh Bharat Mission in all the 110 municipalities by Rajiv Gauba, Secretary(Urban Development) at the Port city of Visakhapatnam today.

Gauba also reviewed the progress of urban missions like Smart city Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). He held discussions with the Collectors of all the 13 districts and Municipal Commissioners of urban local bodies on their action plans for ensuring sanitation.

AP has been in the forefront of construction of toilets in urban areas. Against the Mission target of construction of 1,94,336 individual household toilets work has started in 1,53,779 and construction of 1,04,732 toilets has already been completed, an official press release stated.

In addition to the central assistance of Rs 4,000 per toilet, A P is extending assistance of an additional Rs 11,000 per toilet to give a boost to the programme.

With respect to community and public toilet seats, against the mission target of 4,614 seats, work has started on 3,887 seats and 1,952 seats have already been constructed.

Referring to Solid Waste Management, out of the total wards of 3,458 in 110 municipalities, 100 per cent door-to-door collection and transportation of such waste is being done in 3,072 wards or 89 per cent of total urban wards in the state.

The State Government has also awarded works for construction of 10 Waste to Energy Plants for generating 63 MW of power from the 6,440 tonnes of municipal waste being generated per day in the state. These plants would be commissioned during 2017-18.

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