Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plans of ridding the country of the widespread practice of open defecation through Swachh Bharat Mission remain under construction in this supposedly progressive state. According to the state government's figures, 68.74% of the 6lakh toilets - which was the target in fiscal 2014-15 - have been completed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plans of ridding the country of the widespread practice of open defecation through Swachh Bharat Mission remain under construction in this supposedly progressive state. According to the state government's figures, 68.74% of the 6lakh toilets - which was the target in fiscal 2014-15 - have been completed.
Moreover, around 8 lakh toilets that were built in the time preceding that are not being used for the purpose: they are instead being used as storerooms and laundry. To ensure that the state is free of open defecation by 2019, a total of around 56 lakh toilets need to be constructed.
Figures tabled by water supply and sanitation minister Babanrao Lonikar in the state legislative assembly on Thursday reveal that in 2014-15, a target of 5,96,406 toilets was set. Of this, by March 2015, a total of 4,09,960 toilets (68.74%) were built at an expense of Rs16,826.08 lakh.
Lonikar, who was replying to a calling attention motion by Congress MLA Rahul Bondre (Chikhali) and others, said the state had, for the first, time made a significant budget outlay of Rs755 crore for this purpose. "In the last budget, it was just Rs108 crore," he pointed out, adding that the grant for people to construct toilets had been gradually increased from Rs500 to Rs4,000, and the present allocation is Rs 12,000.
"Around 8 lakh toilets are not in use," Lonikar admitted, adding that these toilets were used for washing and storing firewood. Lonikar said that another 56 lakh toilets needed to be constructed .
The state government, for the first time, will also roll out this campaign to construct toilets in urban areas with an outlay of Rs300 crore for the municipal corporation and council areas. This work will be undertaken in phases in four years in urban pockets.
Lonikar said that the state was planning to appoint Swachata Doots (cleanliness ambassadors) to push the campaign forward and stop defecation in the open. They will get an honorarium of Rs22,000 if they construct 150 toilets. He requested legislators to pitch in and make this a public campaign.
Fast fact
The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Gramin) was earlier called Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan and was re-christened on October 2, 2014. The campaign envisages an open defecation-free Maharashtra by 2019.
Getting there
According to the Census of India for 2011, the percentage of households with no latrine facilities in rural Maharashtra was at a lower 62% in 2011 compared to 81.8% in 2001. The Census said 69.3% households had no latrines in 2011 compared to a higher 78.1% in 2001.
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