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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Will Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan get derailed in Bihar?
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Will Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan get derailed in Bihar?

Agencies building toilets allege that states such as Bihar are dragging their feet on Narendra Modi's pet project

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo: Reuters Premium
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo: Reuters

New Delhi: Will Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan get derailed due to non-cooperation in Bihar?

Agencies building toilets allege that states such as Bihar are dragging their feet on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet project.

This comes in the backdrop of Modi’s first public meeting in the state on Saturday to kick off the party’s campaign for the upcoming assembly elections, expected to be held in September-October this year.

“While the timelines are tight; law and order which is the state subject becomes an issue sometime. Also there are problems with where to construct the toilet. While the school decides on a plot; the villagers oppose it claiming it to be their land," said an official associated with the exercise, who did not want to be named.

The plan is aimed to be completed before Modi gives his second Independence Day speech on 15 August.

“While maximum work is happening in Bihar, we are not finding the cooperation to the extent desired from the state government," said the official quoted above.

Bihar state government officials couldn’t be immediately reached for comments.

The pace of building toilets is slow in Naxal insurgency-affected states, too.

In September 2014, the cabinet committee on economic affairs approved the Swachh Bharat mission that was officially launched on 2 October 2014 for a period of five years. Under the scheme, the government targets to construct 60 million toilets. Initially, it will be implemented in 4,041 towns. The total cost of the campaign will be 62,009 crore, of which the Union government will contribute 14,620 crore. The rest will be mobilized from other sources, including non-state entities.

Five million toilets were built in 2014-15. Several state-owned units and private sector companies such as Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd, the philanthropy arm of Bharti Airtel Ltd and Ambuja Cements Ltd have committed to support the mission. Donations made to the Swachh Bharat Mission were made eligible for deduction under the Income-tax Act in this year’s budget.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Bhaskar
"Utpal Bhaskar leads Mint's policy and economy coverage. He is part of Mint’s launch team, which he joined as a staff writer in 2006. Widely cited by authors and think-tanks, he has reported extensively on the intersection of India’s policy, polity and corporate space.
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Published: 21 Jul 2015, 08:27 AM IST
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