Chhattisgarh to construct 2.6 million toilet blocks

Chhattisgarh has set a target to construct 2.6 million toilet blocks across the state in next four years under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

"The state government has decided to build 2.6 million toilets by 2019 and the authorities are prepared to achieve the target without any problem," additional chief secretary with the panchayat and rural development department M K Raut said at a seminar organised to note down the suggestions of experts on implementing the programme. Toilets would be built under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India mission).

Under the mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, special stress has been given for construction of toilets. The major components of the mission include construction of individual sanitary latrines for households below the poverty line with subsidy of 80 per cent, conversion of dry latrines into low-cost sanitary latrines, construction of exclusive village sanitary complexes for women providing facilities, etc.

Additional chief secretary (finance) D S Misra observed that Swachh Bharat Abhiyan should not be confined to mere construction of toilets. "The authorities should stress for creating awareness among the villagers and people for using the toilets that would be the real success of the campaign," he said.

Raut, too, spoke on the line and said the mission would only succeed when 100 per cent usage of the toilets was also achieved.