NEW DELHI, SEP 16 (PTI): Union Minister for Jal Shakti C R Patil launched Swachh Seva Aankalan (SSA), an annual gram panchayat-level digital self-assessment framework for assessment and monitoring of sanitation service delivery in rural areas.
The framework was launched during a virtual meeting with states and Union Territories on Tuesday. Minister of State for Jal Shakti V Somanna also attended the meeting while ministers in charge of rural sanitation, concerned officials and mission directors of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) joined virtually.
The multi-tier evaluation framework, developed by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) 2.0, envisages the involvement of gram panchayats, gram sabhas, village water and sanitation committees (VWSCs), and district and state/ UT-level officials to strengthen sanitation service delivery at the grassroots level.
Under the SSA, gram panchayats which have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus (Model) along with their VWSCs and local communities will assess the status of ODF sustainability, visual cleanliness and solid and liquid waste management (SLWM) in the gram panchayat.
The functionality and operation and maintenance (O&M) status of sanitation and community SLWM assets will also be self-assessed through the Aankalan.
The findings will be discussed and validated by the concerned gram sabha and made available to district and state/ UT authorities for review in District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) and State Water and Sanitation Mission (SWSM) meetings, the ministry said in a statement.
These authorities will be able to identify service delivery gaps and prepare improvement plans for corrective action at the grassroots level, it said.
In the spirit of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, the framework will further empower gram panchayats and gram sabhas to review their achievements and progress and make focused efforts for improvement, the ministry said.
