Date: 22nd February, 2024
UNICEF has partnered with SIGMA Foundation to sustain Open Defecation Free (ODF) status and to also manage solid and liquid waste scientifically, known as ODF plus activities under the Swachh Bharat Mission Phase II. 
Further, the related services should be improved to make those Climates Resilient and Environmentally Sustainable (CCES). This will be done in 10 selected Gram Panchayats (GPs) of Malda, Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas. First the status of ODF and its sustainability and that of ODF Plus services will be assessed through field survey and that will be followed by 2-days training of the GP officials and other stakeholders to plan for improvement of the system as a part of Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP). 
Training programme has started from the 19th February in Murshidabad and the same will be taken up in other districts from the week starting from 26th February. The participants are being trained on various aspects of ODF sustainability, ODF plus and CCES and the gap that exists based on field survey by SIGMA Foundation. The second day starts with a transect walk in the village for the participants to identify the gaps after they are capacitated to assess the same in the first day and that is followed by a participatory exercise to document all the gaps and possible improvement. The interventions required for improvement will be done by designing appropriate schemes to be included under GPDP 2024-25 and those for subsequent years. Experts of SIGMA Foundation will mentor the GPs for 4 months to build the capacity of the GPs.