Govt plans hike in funds for rural toilets

Union Minister for Rural Development and Drinking Water and Sanitation Nitin Gadkari.

Moving a step towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ target, the Rural Development ministry on Tuesday proposed a hike in the allocation for constructing toilets in rural areas, aimed at providing better sanitation facilities in individual households, schools and anganwadis.

“We have prepared a proposal to increase the amount allocated for constructing individual toilets from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. For constructing school toilets, the money will be increased from Rs 35,000 to Rs 54,000, anganwadi toilets from Rs 8,000 to Rs 20,000 and for community toilets, the money will be increased from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 6 lakhs,” Union Minister for Rural Development and Drinking Water and Sanitation Nitin Gadkari said. He was addressing an exhibition-cum-workshop on Innovation Technology For Sanitation and Water Quality in Rural Areas.

“We have prepared the proposal based on the suggestions given by Rural Development Ministers of states. We will go with this proposal to the Cabinet,” he added.

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“We have three-four proposals from financial institutions like World Bank for this. We will also talk to them and try for a long-term loan from these institutions,” Gadkari said.

The minister also announced the decision to delink MGNREGA from toilet construction, claiming this initiative taken by the previous UPA government had failed to work.