<span style="color: #222222;">Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed happiness at the World Health Organisation lauding India for accelerated sanitation coverage in the country. In a tweet, Mr Modi said, the observations by the WHO in a study on India's strides in cleanliness and sanitation are fascinating. The Prime Minister said Swachh Bharat Mission has an important role in saving lakhs of lives. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">AIR correspondent reports that the WHO findings show that there have been significant health and economic benefits as Swachh Bharat Mission goes beyond changing the behaviour of rural Indians. It said, more than three lakh loss of lives due to diarrheal deaths could be prevented if the Mission is implemented fully. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Launched by the Prime Minister in 2014, 19 states and Union territories have become Open Defecation free, ODF, under the mission. So far, eight crore toilets have been constructed under the programme. The government has set a target of 100 per cent sanitation coverage and ODF in the country by 2nd October next year. </span>