the second phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural), more than 25,000 gram panchayats of the state have been included for the financial year 2023-24. Recently, the training of master trainers has been completed.

*Target set for 43,242 revenue villages*

Additional Chief Secretary Panchayati Raj Manoj Kumar informed, “As many as 25,145 gram panchayats have been included for the financial year 2023-24 in the second phase of Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural). Under this, a target has been set for 43,242 revenue villages. A number of campaigns will be launched to manage solid and liquid waste, in addition to maintaining the achievements made in these villages during the first phase of the mission.”

In this sequence, training will be provided to about 83,000 people like village heads, block motivators, and panchayat assistants, who will actually work in the villages. Training of these 83,000 people is to be done at 20 District Panchayat Resource Centers (DPRC) apart from the PRIT office in Lucknow, he added.

*126 master trainers will give training*

Giving out further information, he said that 6 master trainers have been deployed at every training center to provide training to the Gram Pradhans, panchayat assistants, and motivators. A total of 126 master trainers have been deployed across the state. All of these master trainers have recently received training at the Directorate of Panchayati Raj.

The official said that more than seven times the number of villages prior to fiscal year 2022–23 have been targeted for the ODF Plus model. Activities like management of solid and liquid waste, management of plastic waste and fecal sludge, construction of bio gas unit under the Gobardhan project and construction of individual toilets are to be conducted in these villages.

He said that the Gram Panchayat will work on this by making a strategy so that the targets can be achieved within the stipulated time.