Odisha sets target of building 26 lakh toilets in 2016-17

Setting a target to build 26 lakh toilets with a cost of Rs 598 crore during 2016-17 fiscal, Odisha government today asked the district collectors to take up the projects in mission mode.
The instruction was issued to the collectors by Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan though video conferencing from here.
"The collectors have been told to complete Individual Household Latrine (IHHL) targets for 2016-17," Balakrishnan said.
Stating that the toilets were being set up under 'Swachh Bharat Mission', Rural Development secretary M S Padhi said the projects would be implemented with Central and state funds with a ratio of 60:40.

Padhi said the district collectors were told that around Rs 598 crore for 2016-17 would be released soon.
He said the state government has been considering a system for third party evaluation of the open defecation-free (ODF) villages, changes in habits of the people and use of toilets there.

Collectors were also suggested to ensure self certification from the concerned ODF village, GP or block. The inter-block certification would be done by District Water and Sanitation Committee, he said.
Padhi also asked Collectors to upload the photos of the completed toilets along with name of its beneficiaries and location. They have been asked to specify the location of the toilets with latitude and longitude marks, he said.

A total number of 13,29,932 toilets were constructed during the 2015-16 financial year in all the districts against the target of 12,00,000 there by marking an achievement of around 111 per cent.
As many as 20 districts -- Angul, Balasore, Bargarh, Bhadrak, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Ganjam Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kendrapara, Keonjhar, Khurda, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Sonepur and Sundargarh have achieved more than 100 per cent target.
Other 10 districts achieved around 90 per cent during the year.