Country poised to achieve total sanitation coverage by 2017

Total Sanitation Campaign, TSC, now underway in 607 rural districts covering all the States and Union Territories is expected to be completed by the year 2017. The information was given by the Rural Development Minister Shri Jairam Ramesh in a statement in the Lok Sabha today. He said, the Government has increased the allocation under TSC from 1500 crore rupees in the year 2011-12, the last year of the 11th Five Year Plan to 3,500 crore rupees as Budget Estimate during the year 2012-13, the first year of the 12th Plan. The states have also been advised for engagement of Swachchhata Doots to accelerate sanitation coverage. The Minister also informed that the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) and Human Resource Development, HRD, the key components to generate and meet demand for sanitation are being strengthened. Out of total project objectives of 12.57 crore Individual Household Latrines, 8.73 crore have been completed and about 88 lakh latrines have been reported to be completed during the year 2011-12. Similarly, school toilet units, Anganwadi toilets and community sanitary complexes are also on way to meet the targets.