‘Toilet for every rural house’ drive from tomorrow

IN PANCHAYATS, HOUSES WITHOUT TOILET WILL GET APPROVAL FOR CONSTRUCTION IN 15 DAYS AND `12,000 IN 7 DAYS OF COMPLETION

RANCHI: The drinking water and sanitation department in association with Unicef will launch a nine-day cleanliness awareness campaign from Wednesday in 2,234 panchayats of 124 blocks across the state, officials said.

The government aims to cover 14.4 lakh households under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBMGramin) in the financial year 2016-17. The campaign will encourage communities in rural areas to construct toilets in their houses on their own.

A state resource team is monitoring the district-wise activities and collating information based on field visits on daily basis. Unicef is providing technical support in the training of the resource team.

Jharkhand Unicef chief Madhulika Jonathan said, “Unicef is extending support in tribal dominated districts of Lohardaga, Simdega and Gumla to ensure equity in sanitation.”

A three-day camp will be organised in all the targeted panchayats with the participation of a minimum of four members identified by the deputy commissioner during the campaign.

In the panchayats, households without toilet (whose name have been recorded in the base line survey conducted in 2012) will immediately be given approval for construction of toilet in their household within 15 days.

They will get `12,000 through RTGS/cheque within seven days of completion of toilet construction. The executive engineer will be the responsible for the transfer of incentive amount to the beneficiary.

The campaign will end on August 18 with celebration of Raksha Bandhan when brothers gifting a toilet to their sisters as a token of their love will be honoured with the title of ‘Bhai No. 1,’ Unicef officials said.