The journey of Mission Nirmal Bangla (MNB) had commenced on the World Toilet Day in 2013, way ahead of launching of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) by the Government of India on 02.10.2014. Since then the State Government has relentlessly worked in a sustained manner for eradicating the menace of open defecation from the rural West Bengal ensuring sustainable behaviour change within the community.
On 19th November, 2013 on the occasion of celebration of World Toilet Day, Hon’ble MIC, P&RD and PHE Departments administered oath to all the District Magistrates of the State to achieve Open Defecation Free West Bengal on or before 2nd October, 2019. After the baseline survey conducted in 2012-13, 66,34,834 individual household latrines have been constructed in all Gram Panchayats of the State. Finally Hon’ble Chief Minister declared the rural West Bengal open defecation free (ODF) on 3rd August, 2019.
Objectives of Mission Nirmal Bangla are:
a) Bringing about an improvement in the general quality of life in the rural areas.
b) Accelerating sanitation coverage in rural areas to achieve the vision of Nirmal West Bengal by October, 2019 with all Gram Panchayats in the State attaining Nirmal status.
c) Motivating communities and Panchayati Raj Institutions promoting sustainable sanitation facilities through awareness creation and health education.
d) Making provisions of appropriate sanitation facilities in all schools, ICDS centre in the rural areas with proper sanitation facilities and undertake proactive promotion of hygiene education and sanitary habits among students.
e) Encouraging cost effective and appropriate technologies for ecologically safe and sustainable sanitation.
f) Developing community managed environmental sanitation systems focusing on solid & liquid waste management for overall cleanliness in the rural areas.
In 2021-22, it is planned to strengthen the communication interventions further to sustain the newly acquired ODF status in all districts. 7,21,367 nos. of Individual Household Latrines of new emerging household and 2469 additional Community Sanitary Complexes are to be constructed in various Gram Panchayats. Also, 512 additional Gram Panchayats are to be extended with scientific solid and liquid waste disposal facilities. Target for setting up of 10 (ten) Faecal Sludge Management systems and 9 (nine) GOBAR Gas projects has also been taken. Apart from this, a mechanism for mid-term evaluation of ODF sustenance in different districts have been contemplated during this year.