Swachh Survekshan-2017

he Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information & Broadcasting, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu addressing at the launch of the Swachh Survekshan-2017, in New Delhi on August 06, 2016. The Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, Shri Rajiv Gauba, the Director General (M&C), Press Information Bureau, Shri A.P. Frank Noronha and other dignitaries are also seen.

Question: Recently Minister of Urban Development M.Venkaiah Naidu launched ‘Swachh Suvekshan-2017’ to assess and rank how many cities and towns based on levels of sanitation and efforts made by respective urban local bodies?
(a) 400
(b) 300
(c) 500
(d) 200
Ans: (c)
Related facts:

  • On 6 August 2016 Minister of Urban Development M.Venkaiah Naidu launched ‘Swachh Suvekshan-2017’ to assess and rank 500 cities and towns based on levels of sanitation and efforts made by respective urban local bodies and also to capture progress towards achieving ‘Open Defecation Free’ status.
  • He also launched a web portal ‘Swachhata App’ and ‘Swachhta Helpline 1969’ to enable citizens associate more and more with Swachh Bharat Mission in urban areas.
  • Cities with a population of one lakh and above each, heritage and tourism cities, capital cities with less than one lakh population are included in this survey, the second since the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission.
  • He launched ‘Asli Tarakki’ campaign highlighting the need for construction of toilets and using them well.
  • This campaign to be mounted on TV channels and in print media soon brings out that having two wheelers, air coolers, TV sets etc., is not ‘Asli Tarakki’ (real development) if such people did not either have toilets or don’t use them.
  • Since the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission in October, 2014, construction of 21 lakh household individual toilets has been completed and construction of another 21 lakh toilets is in progress.
  • The mission target in this regard is construction of 1.04 cr toilets by 2019.
  • Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala will become ODF by March, 2017
  • Since the last survey, the Government of India has taken several policy and other initiatives to give a further momentum to the Swachh Bharat Mission. Briefly, these include:
  • Waste to Energy power of 411 MW by 2018, as against the present generation of 53 MW;
  • To promote conversion of Waste to Compost, Market Development Assistance of Rs.1500/- per ton of such compost has been announced.
  • Swachh Bharat Mission Guidelines have been revised enhancing Viability Grant Funding(VGF)/Grant from Rs.26,000/- to Rs.39,200/- per each community toilet seat to be built;
  • Over 150 Waste Management equipment have now been notified with DGS&D.
  • Quality Council of India which conducted the last Survey in 73 cities will conduct the survey in 500 cities and towns.

Reference:
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