The progress in construction of household toilets under the Swachh Bhrat Mission is now quite visible in the rural areas of the State, according to official reports.
The percentage of rural households having toilets increased to 51 per cent by end of March 2018 from 10.58 per cent in October 2014.
This was recorded at a review meeting taken by Cabinet Secretary Pardeep Kumar Sinha over a videoconferencing with Chief Secretary AP Padhi, Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan and Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water Principal Secretary Deo Ranjan Kumar Singh and Mission Director Roopa Mishra.
Balakrishnan stated that more than 6.23 lakh individual household toilets have been completed, which amounts to 51 per cent of total households. Efforts have been made to cover 56 per cent houses by April 10, 2018, he said.
Panchayati Raj Secretary Singh said that target has been to cover 100 per cent households by December 31, 2018.
It was revealed that over 14,000 Swechhagrahis have been engaged at village level. Along with them around 1 lakh para Government workers are working in the field for use of toilets. As of now, Deogarh district has been declared as open defecation free (ODF) district. Jharsuguda would achieve the ODF recognition within a fortnight, he said.
Annual implementation plan for 2018-19 have been made with total outlay of Rs 5,681.44 crore out of which the Centre would provide Rs 3,408.86 crore and the State Government Rs 2,271.94 crore. The beneficiary share in terms of labour would be around Rs 62 lakh.