27pc tribal population do not have access to safe source of drinking water: Govt

The government today informed Parliament that according to 2011 census, close to 27 per cent tribal population do not have access to safe source of drinking water and 75 per cent tribal households do not have toilets.

"As per 2011 census, overall 75 per cent Scheduled Tribes (STs) households in the country were defecating in the open. Further 26.66 per cent of total tribal population in the country did not have access to safe source of drinking water," Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi, the minister of state in the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

The government said under the Swachh Bharat Mission, efforts were being made to provide access to toilet facilities to all rural households in the country.

The Mission was launched on October 2, 2014 to accelerate efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage.

The minister's reply also pointed out that 10 per cent of the annual budget allocation is earmarked for STs and the focus was on community-based collective behaviour change by massive campaigning at national and state levels.