Ahead of the assembly elections, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning the state's Open defecation-free (ODF) status. In his letter, Baghel said that there are still many villages in the state that do not have toilets and that the government's claims of ODF status are misleading. He urged the prime minister to initiate an independent investigation into the matter.
ODF status is awarded to a state or district when it is certified as having no open defecation. This means that all households in the area have access to toilets and are using them. The government of India has set a target of making the entire country ODF by 2024.
Chhattisgarh was declared ODF in 2018. However, there have been reports that many villages in the state are still not ODF. In his letter, he said that he had received complaints from people in various villages about the lack of toilets. He also said that the government's survey methodology for assessing ODF status is flawed.
“This indicates that 76.8 per cent of families in the state are utilising upgraded toilet facilities while 23.2 per cent remain deprived. Under the previous (BJP) government’s regime around 32 lakh toilets were constructed in the state. In January 2018 the entire state was declared ODF with expenditure over Rs 4,000 crore allocated for these toilet construction”, the CM elucidated.
Baghel has asked the prime minister to order an independent investigation into the matter. He has also demanded that the government take steps to ensure that all households in Chhattisgarh have access to toilets.
The government of India has not yet responded to Baghel's letter. However, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has said that it is committed to making the entire country ODF by 2024. The ministry has also said that it is working with the states to address the issue of open defecation.
It remains to be seen whether the government will order an independent investigation into the ODF status of Chhattisgarh. However, Baghel's letter has raised important questions about the government's claims of ODF status.
Assembly elections
The tenure of the current Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly will end on January 3, 2024. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the election schedule in the coming weeks.
The 2023 Chhattisgarh assembly election is expected to be a close contest between the INC and the BJP. The BJP is hoping to regain power in the state, while the Congress is looking to defend its majority. The JCC and the BSP are also expected to play a significant role in the election.
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