India’s First Swachh Sujal Pradesh

Context

Andaman and Nicobar islands were awarded as India’s First Swachh Sujal Pradesh. This union territory of India ticked off all the key points of being Swachh and Sujal. 

About India’s First Swachh Sujal Pradesh

• Andaman and Nicobar islands were awarded as India’s First Swachh Sujal Pradesh.
• This union territory of India ticked off all the key points of being Swachh and Sujal. 
• The Indian states and union territories must draw inspiration from the distant Andaman and Nicobar Islands located far from the country’s mainland. 
• There are 266 villages and 62,000 rural households and 9 blocks distributed among the 3 districts. 
• The Union territory made sure that all the 368 schools, 558 Anganwadi centres, and 292 public institution centres received piped water. 
• On World Water Day, 22 March 2021, Andaman and Nicobar Islands was declared to have achieved 100% coverage of rural households with tap water connection. It became the third State/UT in the country to achieve 100% coverage of rural households with tap water supply after Goa and Telangana.

Swachh and Sujal Key Components

• The key components which have to be ticked off for a state to become Swachh and Sujal:
• Every household in every village should have access to clean drinking water from the tap. 
• Every household in every village should receive regular water supply of prescribed quality. 
• All schools, anganwadi centres and other public institutions too should receive tap water. 
• Villages that use toilets instead of open defecation are known as “open defecation free” (ODF) areas. 
• A village is referred to as a “ODF Plus Village” if it keeps its Open Defecation Free (ODF) designation, assures the management of solid and liquid waste, and is clean. 
• The three categories of ODF Plus villages are-
• Aspiring
• Rising
• Model