Cabinet clears $1.5-bn World Bank project for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

The project will give funding to states based on various parameters

The union cabinet on Wednesday announced clearance for a $1,500 million World Bank project to support Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in rural India.

Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters that under the scheme separate parameters will be fixed for each beneficiary states.

"In September 2014, the government set certain parameters for the states to get the benedfit. These parameters include reduction in open defecation and so on," he said.

The minister also announced that in next three years, the government will construct at least 1 crore houses in rural areas with an estimated expenditure of Rs 81,975 crore.