New Delhi: Nearly 5.67 lakh villages across India have been designated ODF Plus, marking a 467 per cent jump from 1 lakh such villages in 2022, according to official data released by the Jal Shakti Ministry on Wednesday to coincide with World Toilet Day.
Of the total, 4.86 lakh villages have reached the ODF Plus Model stage, which indicates sustained open defecation-free status along with systems for managing solid and liquid waste and ensuring visible cleanliness. The ministry said more than 95 per cent of India’s villages have now achieved ODF Plus status.
Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil said the nationwide progress reflects the scale of public involvement and the long-term support extended by the Union government. He noted that the Centre helped states construct more than 12 crore toilets across rural and urban regions.
“The responsibility lay with the state governments, and the Centre assisted by constructing 12 crore toilets across the country,” Paatil said at the event. He added that expanded toilet access has driven a major shift in daily habits. “Crores of people who earlier practised open defecation have now stopped doing so,” he said, crediting the Swachh Bharat Mission for turning sanitation into a mass movement.
The minister also highlighted the impact on children’s health. “Cleanliness has saved the lives of around 3,00,000 children,” Paatil said, adding that the government will continue funding the maintenance of sanitation facilities. “Even with 12 crore toilets, we will sustain their funding,” he said.
World Toilet Day, observed every year on November 19, focuses on the global need for safe and sustainable sanitation, a key target under Sustainable Development Goal 6.
Since the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission in 2014, India has moved from eliminating open defecation to building systems that keep settlements clean, manage waste and protect water resources. Under SBM Gramin Phase II, most villages are now working to maintain ODF status, enhance waste management and expand cleanliness initiatives.
Urban areas have also reported substantial progress. More than 63.7 lakh household toilets have been built, exceeding targets by over 108 per cent, while construction of public and community toilets has surpassed targets by 125 per cent. Paatil said complementary schemes such as the Jal Jeevan Mission and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation have further strengthened sanitation systems by improving sewerage networks, septage management and piped water supply infrastructure.