58k women to manage rural community toilets in Uttar Pradesh
LUCKNOW: The state government’s rural development and panchayati raj department has decided to employ 58,000 women for management of toilets in as many gram panchayats across the state.
The government has set aside a budget of Rs 9,000 per month for the maintenance of each community toilet in the gram panchayats.
This move comes as regular cleaning of toilets will keep them maintained, promote their use and dissuade people from going for open defecation.
Coupled with the 58,000 Banking Correspondent Sakhis (BC Sakhis) who have already been appointed to address the banking problems that villagers face, the department has created 1.16 lakh jobs for women in the state.
“The state has 58,000 gram panchayats. By March 2021, all these 58,000 gram panchayats will have community toilets. A woman each drawn from the panchayat’s women self-help groups will be employed to take care of the toilets. We have already employed 6,000 in as many gram panchayats where the toilets have been built. The government will pay Rs 6,000 per month each to the women who will be community toilets caretakers,” said additional chief secretary, rural development and panchayati raj, Manoj Kumar Singh.
As part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the state government is constructing 58,000 toilets in the gram panchayats.
A sum of Rs 3 lakh is being given for the construction of a community toilet under the Swachh Bharat Mission Rural-2.
Women working in these toilets will be given sanitation kits, gloves, and toilet cleaners twice a year.
“While 6,000 women toilet caretakers have been appointed, more would be appointed gradually as and when community toilets will be built in the remaining 52,000 gram panchayats. We are also doing a third party verification of toilets which have been completed and quality of construction,” said Manoj Kumar Singh.
The women caretakers will do the cleaning at least twice a day. Apart from the salary of Rs 6,000 each, the department will pay Rs 500 per month for the repair of electricity fitment, plumbing, taps and for cleaning equipment like brooms, brushes, wipers, sponges, clothes, mop, bucket, mug etc. Rs 1,000 per month will be given to cover utility charges — water supply, electricity, solid waste management.
WOMEN WORKING IN THESE TOILETS WILL BE GIVEN SANITATION KITS, GLOVES, AND TOILET CLEANERS TWICE A YEAR.