Lots of Toilets But With No Water: Fate of Swachh Bharat Campaign
The World Bank has asked for an evaluation following its $1.5-billion loan to the government for the programme.
In October 2014, the Modi government launched the Swachh Bharat Campaign on a wave of enthusiasm and idealism. However, two years later, the picture before the country is not a pleasing one.
While the government invested a whopping Rs 9,000 crore and constructed 1.8 crore toilets, it still fell short of achieving its goal due to water shortages and inefficient drainage system, reports Times of India.
According to the National Sample Survey Organisation’s (NSSO) ‘Swachhata Status Report’, only 42.5 percent of rural households have access to “water for use in toilets”. Availability of water and its relevance in having efficient toilets is not a new piece of information for policy makers.
Reportedly, water shortages coupled with an inadequate drainage system, have proved to be a huge hindrance for the campaign. Additionally, the World Bank has now asked for an evaluation following its $1.5-billion loan to the Indian government for the programme.
The NSSO report adds that a total of 44.4 percent of villages are deprived of proper methods of liquid waste disposal. Even though the remaining 56.4 percent houses are using the toilets, most of their sewage goes untreated into rivers.
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