Mr. Sat Mahajan, Rural Development Minister said that projects worth Rs. 101 crore have been sanctioned by the Government of India and added that State Government would also contribute towards matching share as per the Total Sanitation Campaign guidelines.
Reviewing the performance under Total Sanitation Campaign here today, Mahajan said that district Kangra has received the highest allocation of Rs. 16.28 crore followed by district Mandi worth Rs. 14.95 crore. He emphasized the need for sustained campaign on education and regular holding of camps and the importance of propagating the State–level Award Scheme for panchayats wherein the cleanest panchayats at State-level would be granted an award of Rs. 10 lakh followed by winners of Divisional, District and Block Panchayats who would be eligible for an award of Rs. 5 lakh, Rs. 3 lakh and Rs. 1 lakh respectively.
Rural Development Minister directed the department to discourage the practice of open defecation and highlight the dangers posed by such defecation to water sources and pollution of the environment. He further said that emphasis should not be on physical targets but should be on attitudinal and behavioural change so that the advantages of toilet use in terms of health related goals, conveniences, cleanliness were emphasized. He also exhorted the Department to ensure that regular contact programmes with the panchayats should be maintained and Zonal-level meetings with Deputy Commissioners, DPOs, DRDA officials and LSEOs held. The achievement of Rs. 101 crore projects should not be determined by physical and financial progress but by outcomes in terms of a safe and open defecation free environment, he added.
