Hindustan Times (Ranchi)

50 per cent of MLAs’ welfare fund to help with toilet building

- Debashish Sarkar debashish.sarkar@hindustant­imes.com

JAMSHEDPUR: The state government has decided to spend half of the MLAs’ ` 1-crore-a-year fund under the chief minister’s developmen­t fund on constructi­ng individual toilets in rural areas – especially in places of religious and tourist interest.

A notificati­on issued by the government on November 3 said ` 41 crore would be spent by the MLAs on constructi­on of toilets in rural areas to expedite Prime Minister’s Swacchha Bharat Mission (SBM). The state has 81 elected legislator­s and a nominated MLA who get ` 1 crore every year under the chief minister’s developmen­t fund. Each MLA has to spend ` 50 lakh on building toilets in their respective constituen­cies every year, according to the notificati­on.

The notificati­on says priority will be given to tourist spots and places for building toilets.

JAMSHEDPUR: The state government has decided to spend half of the MLAs’ ` 1-crore-a-year fund under the chief minister’s developmen­t fund on constructi­ng individual toilets in rural areas - especially in places of religious and tourist interest.

A notificati­on issued by the government on November 3 said ` 41 crore would be spent by the MLAs on constructi­on of toilets in rural areas to expedite Prime Minister’s Swacchha Bharat Mission (SBM).

The state has 81 elected legislator­s and a nominated MLA who get ` 1 crore every year under the chief minister’s developmen­t fund.

Each MLA has to spend ` 50 lakh on building toilets in their respective constituen­cies every year, according to the notificati­on, a copy of which is with the Hindustan Times.

The notificati­on says priority will be given to tourist spots and places for building toilets.

“Such panchayats where source of water is available

A NOTIFICATI­ON ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT SAID ` 41 CRORE WOULD BE SPENT BY THE MLAS ON CONSTRUCTI­ON OF TOILETS IN RURAL AREAS

round the year will be given priority. First priority will be given to below poverty line (BPL), SC/ ST families and women-headed families,” the notificati­on says.

The families belonging to marginal farmers, disabled, landless labourers and above poverty line (APL) category would get ` 12, 000 in two installmen­ts for building their individual toilets.

The notificati­on says, “It has been decided to focus on individual toilets instead of community toilets because of the higher cost and lack of proper maintenanc­e owing to absence of accountabi­lity in case of the latter. Such villages, where toilets are already being built under other schemes like MNREGA and Indira Awas Yojna, will not be taken under this initiative.”

 ?? PARWAZ KHAN/ HT PHOTO ?? Newly constructe­d toilets in Bero near Ranchi.
PARWAZ KHAN/ HT PHOTO Newly constructe­d toilets in Bero near Ranchi.

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