Centre would fund scheme to eradicate dry toilets

The Centre would provide financial support to states to eradicate dry toilets in the country, under a centrally sponsored scheme amounting to Rs 367 crore in the next two years.

"The total cost of this project is estimated at Rs 481.45 crore of which the central share will be of Rs 367.33 crore. The rest will be borne by state governments and beneficiaries," Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Ajay Maken told reporters here.

The revised guidelines of the Integrated Low Cost Sanitation scheme envisages conversion of all existing dry toilets into twin pit flush latrines, as well as construction of new toilets for economically weaker households where latrines do not exist in urban areas across the country.

According to the Census 2011, there are a total of 2.08 lakh dry latrines in urban areas which are cleaned by manual scavengers.  "I would be writing to all chief ministers requesting them to take steps to end this practice," Maken added.

Manual scavenging has been banned in the country under the Employment of Manual Scavenging and Construction of Dry Latrine (Prohibition) Act, 1993.