Kashmiri farmers work in a field in village Shadimarg about 55 Km south of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, March 20 2018. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)
Modi launched an ambitious project of building toilets in 2014 in a bid to make the country open-defecation free, which has created over 7.5 million employment opportunities.
The prime minister said that the achievement was in line with Mahatma Gandhi's vision for India.
NEW DELHI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday declared that the rural parts of the country had become totally open-defecation free.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of "Father of the Nation" Mahatma Gandhi in eastern city of Ahmedabad, Modi claimed that the feat of building toilets for entire population of India within 70 months had left the world in awe.
Modi had launched the "Swachhta Abiyan" (Cleanliness drive) in 2014 which included an ambitious project of building toilets for every household across the length and breadth of the country in a bid to make the country open-defecation free.
Children stand outside a toilet designed for children in New Delhi, capital of India, on Nov. 28, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Naijie)
"This mission helped make the toilet which was earlier a difficult topic, a common topic of discussion. From girls who demanded toilet before marriage to Bollywood, everyone contributed to the mission to make India open-defecation-free."
Modi said, "The Mission enabled women and developed their skills as masons and created over 7.5 million employment opportunities."
The prime minister further said that the achievement was in line with Mahatma Gandhi's vision for India. Making an appeal to ban single-use plastic, Modi said that hygiene, environment and animal protection were the three main concerns of Mahatma Gandhi and plastic was "harmful to all three."
A rag picker piles up sacks contains single use plastic bottles in outskirts of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, October 2, 2019. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)
"By 2022 we have to make India free of single-use plastic. The campaign has caught speed in the last three weeks under cleanliness campaign. Tonnes of single-use plastic garbage has been collected from across the nation. The use of plastic is coming down significantly, but it can't be done without public contribution," Modi said.
In his speech, he also encouraged rainwater harvesting, water recharging and similar projects, which, according to him, would also help in ensuring water supply to bio-toilets.■
