Loos talk

Recently when the Defence Research and Development Organisation developed low-cost toilets for 1,000 panchayats, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh was heard singing its praises and even joking with Defence Minister A K Antony that he should shell out some of the huge funds at his disposal to produce more such toilets. But his enthusiasm doesn’t seem to extend to his own ministry. The ministry recently significantly raised the subsidies it gives for toilet construction to Rs 20,000 per unit from the earlier Rs 3,000. But to a question last week in the Lok Sabha whether it proposed to launch low-cost toilets, the minister denied having such plans. He added that there were no funds earmarked for developing low-cost toilets in the coming five-year Plan!