Help construct toilets; get incentives

In an effort to encourage construction of toilets under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, the Zilla Panchayat has come out with an innovative idea of providing an incentive of Rs 150 to those who extend help to the beneficiary.

APL and BPL card holders are provided financial support of Rs 4,700 under Nirmala Bharatha abhiyan, and Rs 5,400 under MGNREGA , for the construction of toilets.

Earlier, an effort was made to construct toilets through Nirmiti Kendras, but as it was not successful, it was decided to extend financial help to the beneficiaries themselves for building toilets.

Now, the ZP in an effort to create awareness, has decided to provide incentives to those who can help manage the programme.

Anganwadi, Asha and rehabilitation workers; members of Youth Associations coming under District Youth Empowerment department; and men and women of self help groups, will be roped in, and they will act as managers under the programme.

The role of the managers will be to coordinate and extend help to the beneficiaries. After the completion of the toilet, they will be paid Rs 150 as incentive, said, C H Vasundharadevi, District Nodal Officer, Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan.

There was a goal to construct 16,000 toilets under the scheme for the year 2013-14, and the ZP had released Rs five crore.

By the end of March, about 14,403 toilets were constructed.

The target for the year 2014-15 is 26,064, which also comprises 1,000 APL card holders as beneficiaries.

Ironically, 641 anganwadi centres of the district have no toilets. The ZP has decided to construct 50 per cent of the toilets in the current fiscal.

However, toilets are mandatory for the newly constructed buildings.

Special programmes will be held to create awareness on Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan in the district.

Students will be utilised to create awareness among the people. Kala jathas and streetplays relating to the issue will also be staged, said Vasundharadevi.