Question : SANITATION FACILITIES IN RURAL AREAS

(a) whether large number of people in the rural areas of the country particularly many backward and tribal-dominated villages in Maharashtra are deprived of basic sanitation facilities;

(b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise;

(c) the total number of persons who are deprived of said facilities in the country and their percentage compared to the entire population;

(d) whether any progress in this regard has been made so far during the current Five Year Plan period and the amount of money spent thereon; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (MS. AGATHA SANGMA)

(a)to(c): Government of India administers the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC), a comprehensive programme started in the year 1999 to ensure sanitation facilities in rural areas with the main objective of eradicating the practice of open defecation and ensuring clean environment. It is a demand driven project based programme taking district as a unit. The main components under the programme are incentives for Individual Household Latrines (IHHL), School Sanitation and Hygiene Education (SSHE), assistance for Community Sanitary Complex, Anganwadi toilets and Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM). Sanitation coverage in rural areas of the country was only 21.92% as per census 2001. With the effective implementation of TSC, the sanitation coverage in rural areas of the country has increased to approximately 67% as of October 2010. Similarly sanitation coverage in the rural areas of Maharashtra which was 18.21% as per Census 2001, has increased to approximately 69% as per the progress reported by the State through on line monitoring system maintained by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation. The State-wise details of rural sanitation coverage and the national percentage as per the progress reported by all the States as of October 2010 is at Annexure.

(d)&(e): With the effective implementation of TSC during 11th Five Year Plan, a total of 4.05 crore IHHL, 675077 school toilet units, 237878 Anganwadi toilets and 10101 community sanitary complexes have been reported to be constructed by all the States together till October 2010 as per the progress reported by the State through on line monitoring system maintained by the Department. A cumulative Central Share expenditure of Rs.3362.07 crore has also been reported to be incurred under TSC during the same period.