Sikkim has become the only state in the country to achieve more than 100 per cent sanitation in rural and urban households, schools, sanitary complexes and Aanganwadi centres. All 6,10,577 inhabitants in Sikkim have latrines with high sanitation and hygiene standards. The Himalayan state has constructed 98,043 individual household latrines against the target of 87,014 till January 2014, thus achieving a target of 112.67 percent under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan scheme implemented by Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, an official release stated.

The state has also sensitised people towards the adoption of a holistic approach to improve sanitation and hygiene in a clean environment while accelerating its overall development. A total of 1,772 schools have been covered under the total sanitation programme as against the target of 1,604 schools, thus achieving 110.47 per cent of the goal. Achieving 140.05 percent success, altogether 1,105 sanitary complexes were constructed as against the target of 789. Also, a 151.76 percent target was achieved with a total of 516 Anganwadi toilets constructed in the state as against the target of 340.

This initiative was launched way back in 1999 by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling for achieving full sanitation in 7,096 sq. km area of the state covering both rural and urban areas in all four districts. It is now mandatory for all gram sabhas to take up sanitation as a top priority on their agenda. So far, 163 panchayats in the state have been conferred monetary rewards 'Nirmal Gram Puraskar' for developing sufficient sanitation facilities of adequate quality in their respective areas.

According to a survey conducted in 20 gram panchayats by the Planning Commission, 17 village councils of Sikkim were declared as the 'best performance panchayats', which is highest in the country. Sikkim also topped the list amongst all the states of the country in net performance indicators.

Source: PTI