Why it is in news?

• Arunachal Pradesh has emerged as the second State in the Northeast, after Sikkim, to be declared Open Defecation Free.
• Arunachal has 21 districts and the State attained the feat much before the national deadline of October 2, 2019.

About SBM:

• Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) aims to eliminate open defecation by 2019.
• The goal also includes conversion of insanitary toilets to pour flush toilets, eradicating of manual scavenging and Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM).

Significance of the mission:

• Poor sanitation spreads infectious diseases that kill hundreds of thousands of children each year, and stunt the physical and cognitive development of those who survive
• Announcing a goal of accelerating the reduction in open defecation was a great idea, articulating a worthy goal for serious public policy efforts.

THE HINDU