Out of 54,298 Government schools in the State, there are no toilets for girls in 441 schools and no toilets for boys in 1,485 schools.
On behalf of School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Das, Planning and Convergence, Commerce and Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera said this in the State Assembly in response to a question of Congress member Tara Prasad Bahinipati and additional questions of other members on Wednesday.
As per the UDISE 2017-18 data, toilets have been constructed for girls in 53,763 schools and for boys in 52,521 schools out of total 54,298 State-run schools.
While members expressed concern over the matter, the Minister assured that toilets would be constructed in all schools.
The public sector undertakings (PSUs) have been asked to construct toilets for girls in the 441 schools, he said.
The Minister further informed that temporary toilets have been constructed in schools lacking such facilities. He said the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department has been asked to construct toilets in schools with funds available from the 14th Finance Commission and the Fourth Finance Commission of the State.
The Minister said toilets would also be constructed in all Government-aided schools in coming days.
However, the Minister informed all the Government schools have been provided drinking water facilities.
“The State Government is committed to provide toilets and drinking water facilities in all the schools,” said the Minister.
Among others, Arabinda Dhali, Rajendra Sahoo, Santosh Singh Saluja, Srikant Sahoo, Mahidhar Rana, Bhaskar Madehi and Sudhir Ranjan Samal put additional questions.