NEW DELHI: All the seven Union Territories accounting for 16 Urban Local Bodies including the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi will become Open Defecation Free (ODF) by March 2018.
The review held was chaired by the then Minister of Urban Development and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Venkaiah Naidu. During the review Delhi Government officials informed that 6.22 lakh households in Delhi will be provided with water taps over the next two years under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). At present 23.78 lakh households accounting for 58 percent of the total 41 lakh households have water connections and this will be increased to 73% under AMRUT. Sewerage connectivity will be increased from the present 57% to 65%. Naidu requested LG of Delhi to sort out issues related to forest and ridge lands and unauthorized colonies to ensure full coverage under water supply.
Progress of works under AMRUT in Delhi for which the UD ministry approved an investment of Rs 802 crore for the five-year period 2015-20 has been reviewed in detail.
Noting sanitation as a major area of concern in Delhi, Naidu asked the Delhi Government and municipal bodies to focus on solid waste management and segregation of municipal waste at source. It was assured that South and East MCDs will become ODF by October this year while North MCD will do so by December this year.