With over 77% population of Bihar defecating in the open, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation Upendra Kushwaha today said Bihar was the worst state in use of toilets. "National average for open defecation is at 60%, but in Bihar it is 77%. Hardly 33% homes in the state have toilets. I am telling you on the basis of data provided by the officials but the ground reality could be even worse. Of all the states, Bihar is the worst state in use of toilets," Kushwaha said while talking to media persons.
Kushwaha said it is "a matter of shame" that rural women have to relieve themselves in the open on the road sides. It involved issues related to honour, security and health of women. "I have been touring different states and the toilets built under the 'Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan' scheme are in worst condition in Bihar. I visited several districts here and personally inspected public toilets built under the scheme.
Only a few of them are in working condition as exceptions here and there," Kushwaha said. The Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to providing toilets to the last of the poor during his Independence Day speech, and the Centre has started working on achieving it. "We have fixed an aim of providing toilet facilities to all poor by 2019. We are working on it," added the Minister.
He also said if the state government prepares any proposal for maintenance and cleaning of existing toilets, the Centre will surely help in it.
Criticising the Bihar government for being unable to lift funds allocated by the Centre for toilet schemes, Kushwaha alleged that it falsely claimed that the central government was not giving money for developmental activities. Taking potshots at the state government for lagging behind in providing houses to the poor under the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), the central minister said Bihar has lost its right to talk about it.
