Govt to build 6 lakh community toilets

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil on Friday said six lakh community toilets would be constructed in rural areas during the current financial year.

Patil told mediapersons here that officials have been instructed to take steps to have two toilets with commode in each village, for the convenience of the elderly and physically challenged citizens. One toilet with commode would be reserved for women. There is a proposal to encourage the installation of commode for toilets in households also, he added.

To help around two lakh unemployed rural youth, a proposal has been submitted to chief minister regarding the Karnataka Rural Livelihood Mission project of selecting 50 unemployed youth from each gram panchayat, and training them to get employment. A new system would be soon introduced to monitor the rural development works efficiently, he said.

“MGNREGS was not being implemented properly in the State, and to plug the leakage, social auditing and ombudsman system would be strengthened. It has also been decided to upgrade the MGNREGS directorate into a commissionerate,” Patil added.