Under the Swachch Bharat Mission (SBM), the Government of India is giving priority to the construction of more and more toilets and cleanliness in rural areas.
This is the reason that more than 4 times the amount has been allocated to rural areas as compared to urban areas under SBM. In a written reply to a question by MP Mahesh Poddar in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ramesh Chandappa Jiiganjiagi gave the information.
Poddar was informed that total amount of Rs 52,179.39 crores has been allocated during the last 4 years and current year under Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural), whereas funds allocated for the period of 5 years under Clean India Mission (Urban) Rs 14,622.73 crores.
Jigjinagi said that on October 2, 2014 Swach Bharat Mission, Rural and Urban was started with the goal of achieving overall cleanliness coverage till October 2, 2019. The goal of Swachh Bharat Mission is to achieve universal hygiene coverage by providing toilets to all rural households in the country. Under this, an incentive amount of Rs 12,000 is provided for the eligible families to construct safe family toilets with water facility.
He said that the goal of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) is to make urban India free of open defecation and achieve 100 per cent scientific management of solid waste in 4041 cities of the country. Swach Bharat Mission focuses on construction of family toilets for those performing open defecation and is targeting 80 per cent of urban families and for construction of community toilets the SBM is targeting 20 per cent urban population.