n The State Government would look into the complaints of corruption in the construction of toilets in the rural areas of the State.
The State Parliamentary Affairs and Peyjal Minister Prakash Pant said, while replying to a question in the State Assembly, on Friday that the State had been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) on the basis of the base line survey– 2012. He further said that when the BJP Government had taken over, 67.14 percent of the total 15,51,416 families had toilets in their homes. In response to the question of Khanpur MLA Pranav Singh, the Minister said that 8203 families in Haridwar district based on the Base line Survey- 2012 do not have toilets. Continuing with his speech, he said that likewise, 11,172 families-the number has increased after the survey of 2012 in Haridwar district-also do not have toilets. Pant informed that the Centre provides an incentive of Rs 12,000 under Swachch Bharat Mission (Rural).
Participating in the discussion, the Bhimtal MLA Ram Singh Kaida alleged that at Ukhna village of Oklakanda block of his constituency, a large-scale corruption had occurred in the matter of construction of toilets. Similar complaints were made by other members replying to which the Minister assured that the Government would look into the complaints of corruption.
In response to another question during the question hour, the State Agriculture Minister Subodh Uniyal said that the State Government is committed to promoting organic farming in the State. He said that organic farming is now being promoted in 3,900 clusters across the State.