Given the 'filth', sanitation is most important: Ramesh

"Sanitation is a single most important need in India today. If you look at the filth, if you look at the hygiene in our country, sanitation programme is the most important programme. It is severely under-funded," Ramesh told PTI.

Ramesh was given additional charge of Sanitation as Gurudas Kamat had refused to take up the Drinking Water and Sanitation portfolio as Minister of State with Independent charge and quit the government.

Ramesh, who had turned the Environment Ministry into a high-profile one, said he has started "reviewing" the sanitation programmes in the country.

At least 4.58 crore rural households are yet to have access to sanitation facilities, he pointed out adding that he would focus on this aspect.Elaborating the future task involved in the total sanitation campaign, he said, 2.01 lakh schools toilet units are still to be constructed as against project objectives.

"1.20 lakh Anganwadi centres in government are still without toilet facility," the Minister said.

According to a presentation by the Ministry officials, changing the "attitude and daily behaviour" of nearly 25 crore people is a task ahead of the Total Sanitation Campaign.
The future programme of the Ministry includes moving on from TSC to National Total Sanitation Mission (NTSM), calamity fund for sustained sanitation coverage and creation of a revolving fund at grama panchayat level.