No home sans toilet in next 2-3 years: Jharkhand CM

Every home in Jharkhand will have a toilet in the next two-three years, Chief Minister Raghubar Das said here today.
"The state government has set a target to build three lakh toilets in 2015-16. We have already constructed over two lakh of them while work is on to achieve the target. There will be no home without a toilet in the state in the next two-three years," Das said.
He said each MLA irrespective of party affiliation has been asked to spend Rs 50 lakh from their MLA Local Area Development fund to construct toilets in his/her constituency.
The CM was addressing a gathering of corporate houses, business establishments, trade associations, hoteliers, social activists and others at a programme to discuss how to make Jamshedpur a green and clean city.

"We want Jamshedpur, which was founded by doyen of industry J N Tata, and already a developed city, to become a role model for the state," he said.
Das urged the people and the civil society to contribute their share in achieving desired result within given time.

"We should not depend on government for everything but everyone has to discharge their duty and keep the place in and around they live neat and clean," he said.
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Advocating for a long-term policy to achieve clean and green Jharkhand, Das said neither the government nor the people have a magic wand to ensure development within a short span of time.

The chief minister said, "We can not expect to achieve all round development by ignoring the rural pockets of the state. Any government scheme will be successful only when we ensure the involvement of people."
Participation of government, administration and other stakeholders, including general public, could only ensure all round development, he said.
Considering the increasing load in the cities, he said, "We have to frame a development plan keeping in view the needs for the next 20 years."
The objective behind launching Yojana Banao campaign was to involve rural people in framing schemes as they were the best to identify what they need, he said.

Das said the government will dig ponds and build check dams to catch rainwater from this year.
Appreciating the government's move, Rajya Sabha MP and former state Congress chief Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu said involvement of all stakeholders was important to achieve a clean and green state.
Balmuchu also cautioned against expecting change overnight as it needs time for people to keep the surroundings neat and clean a practice.
He suggested incorporation of a subject on environment in schools.