Govt to give Rs 4,000 incentive for building toilets

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 12

The Municipal Corporation (MC) will offer Rs 4,000 incentive to each household that will build a toilet on its premises under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).

The scheme was launched in the city today. The state government has begun the process of getting the grant for the purpose released from the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD). The ministry has asked the state government to submit the details of the beneficiaries by January 30 to avail the first installment of the grant eligible under the SBM.

According to AS Dhaliwal, Chief Engineer, O&M, the MC would release Rs 2,000 immediately upon the identification of the beneficiary. “However, the rest of the amount would be released upon the completion of the construction work and the verification done by the MC officials,” said Dhaliwal.

Under the scheme, all manual scavengers in urban areas would be identified and rehabilitated and insanitary toilets would be upgraded to sanitary toilets in the next five years. The MC would also get a grant under the SBM to make people aware about the clean sanitation practices and also incentives offered by the Government of India under the SBM.

Jalandhar Statistics: (according to 2011 census)

Total population in Jalandhar (Urban): 8,73,725

Total No. of households in Jalandhar (Urban): 1,74,745 (approx)

In-house toilets: 98%

Households connected to sewer: 86.7%

Households connected to septic tanks etc: 11.3%

Open defecation: 1.6 %