Rs 1,000 cr for constructing toilets in all rural houses

Our Correspondent

Fazilka, October 3

Water Supply and Sanitation and Higher Education Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra and Health and Family Welfare Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani launched Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin in Fazilka district today.

Addressing the gathering, Rakhra said that Rs 1,000 crore would be spent in the state to ensure that every house in the rural area has a toilet.

Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jayani said that elimination of open defection would lessen the threat of disease.

Rakhra and Jayani laid the foundation stone of three water works in Gulam Rasool, Awa and Chaurianwali villages, to be constructed at the cost of Rs 3.25 crore.

Rakhra, who also visited local MR Government College, shifted the responsibility of large number of vacant posts by saying that the Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed the recruitment of lecturers.

He announced to open 13 more government colleges in Punjab. He also announced to give a grant of Rs 2 crore to the college. The ministers handed over a cheque of the first instalment of Rs 50 lakh to the Principal of the college.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cabinet ministers Surjit Singh Rakhra and Surjit Kumar Jayani hand over a cheque to the Principal of Government College in Fazilka on Saturday. Tribune photo