(a) whether the Government proposes to create awareness relating to sanitation issues in rural areas with the help of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers working in the health sector in various States;
(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the number of ASHA workers likely to participate in such compaign;
(c) whether the Government proposes to increase the allocation for creating individual toilets in rural areas in the country; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION (SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)
(a): Government of India administers 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. Information Education and Communication (IEC) is an important component of TSC to create awareness and demand for sanitation facilities in rural areas of the country. As a part of IEC, motivators can be engaged at the village level for demand creation. Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) being one of the stake holder in the process, can also act as sanitation motivator.
(b): The number of ASHA acting as sanitation motivators is not maintained by the Ministry.
(c) & (d): The Government has increased the allocation under rural sanitation programme from Rs.1500 crore in the year 2011-12 to Rs.3500 crore as Budget Estimate during the year 2012-13.