<h1>Sanitation coverage in rural India rose to 76% and ODF areas show positive health and household economic benefits.</h1> The Economic Survey 2017-18 records that rural sanitation coverage rose from 39% to 76% following the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), reducing rural open defecation from 550 million to 250 million; 296 districts and 307,349 villages are declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) and surveys report over 90% toilet usage among those with access. The Survey links these sanitation gains to positive health outcomes and household-level economic benefits, citing UNICEF's estimate that an ODF household may save about Rs. 50,000 annually from avoided medical costs, time savings, property value increases, and the value of saved lives.