New Delhi : To further promote the use of toilets and to sustain the open defecation free status of villages across India, the part two of Darwaza Band campaign was launched in Mumbai today.

Promoted under the aegis of Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen, the campaign was launched by Amitabh Bachchan in the presence of Maharashtra’s Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation, Mr. Babanrao Lonikar and Secretary of Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Mr. Parameswaran.

Congratulating the Swachh Bharat Mission for a transformational role in getting rid of filth and open defecation, Mr. Bachchan said he is proud to be associated with this initiative. He also dedicated his father Late Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s readapted poem to the mission saying, “Swachh Tann, Swachh Mann, Swachh Bharat, Mera Parichay”. The Bollywood superstar also spoke about the success of part one of Darwaza Band campaign and said the scheme’s foot soldiers are its real heroes.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Parameswaran announced that over 50 crore people have stopped defecating in the open since the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission and over 5.5 lakh villages have been been declared Open Defecation Free. He said the national sanitation coverage is now in excess of 98 percent as compared to 39 percent in 2014.

Maharashtra’s Minister for Water Supply and Sanitation, Mr. Babanrao Lonikar said the Centre and state have spent over 6000 crore rupees to improve the state’s sanitation status and over three crore people have stopped defecating in the open in the state.

World Bank is also supporting the part two of the Darwaza Band campaign, which is being rolled out through television ads, radio jingles, outdoor publicity and digital campaigns. Operations Manager of World Bank, Mr. Hisham Abdo Kahin said India’s commitment and progress on improving sanitation were unprecedented.